Tottenham Hotspur Transfer News and Rumours Tracker: Week of December 8

Tottenham Hotspur are, as ever, being linked to an increasing number of players as the transfer window approaches.

Some predictably unlikely names have been thrown into the mix, but a realistic picture is beginning to emerge.

Spurs need a new striker, defensive reinforcements and likely another midfielder. Recent performances have borne out the need for all three, as at varying points Spurs have looked soft in defence and toothless in attack.

Ultimately, Spurs would do well to address only the most pressing of needs and focus instead on allowing Mauricio Pochettino to work with the players he already has.

This article will continue to be updated through the week as new transfer stories emerge.

Last updated: Monday, December 8

Massive Window Predicted

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According to Dave Kidd of the Mirror, Spurs are facing a particularly busy January transfer window.

Kidd suggests a budget of £20 million has been agreed, a figure that could be boosted by player sales. Emmanuel Adebayor, Jan Vertonghen, Aaron Lennon and Mousa Dembele are the players to be sold, with Southampton pair Morgan Schneiderlin and Jay Rodriguez mooted as incoming targets. Former Real Madrid centre-back Raul Albiol is also of interest to Tottenham.

Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail ran with a similar story last week, predicting Spurs' "busiest-ever transfer window."

He also linked the Saints duo and named Paulinho, Vlad Chiriches, Lennon, Andros Townsend, Dembele, Adebayor and Vertonghen as players who could leave the club.

Mokbel went on to link Sergi Samper and Adama Traore, which calls to mind a November story from Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo (h/t 101 Great Goals) in which Pochettino was spotted at a Barcelona B match, while Espanyol defender Hector Moreno has also been a long-term target.

It's likely that Spurs will cast a wide net. In the summer they were unable to acquire Mateo Musacchio but instead picked up Sevilla's Federico Fazio.

These numerous links don't indicate a scatter-gun approach but rather a tactical one to the unpredictable nature of transfers. Spurs are unlikely to complete this many deals in one month, but there are certainly plenty of options for Pochettino and his staff to consider.

Paul Mitchell Eyes the One Who Got Away

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Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk was a transfer target of Southampton during the summer transfer window.

With Saints scouting chief Paul Mitchell having since joined Spurs, it is no surprise that Van Dijk is now being linked to the club, according to Iain MacFarlane of the Express.

Van Dijk is tall (6'4") and elegant with a nasty streak. He's strong and aggressive and somewhat prolific for a central defender, having scored 18 goals in five seasons with Celtic and Groningen.

He brings the ball out from defence in a very similar style to Jan Vertonghen and also has a an eye for a free-kick.

Van Dijk has been nominated as a transfer target of many Premier League clubs, per Andrew Magee of the Daily Mail.

His skill set seems well-suited to English football, although he would have to adopt a more disciplined approach to be a success. Vlad Chiriches is just one defender who found the adjustment difficult.

If Spurs could beat the likes of Arsenal to the signature of Van Dijk, they would have a brilliantly gifted young defender. Giovanni van Bronckhorst described Van Dijk as having the potential to become "the best central defender in Europe in the next few years," per Magee.