Tottenham ramp up pursuit for ‘animal’ Harry Kane is a big fan of

Daniel Levy, Tottenham Hotspur's chairman, is significantly increasing transfer activity this summer, reversing his previously criticized passive approach to support manager Thomas Frank. He has already secured four signings and is close to a fifth, Morgan Gibbs-White, notably triggering a release clause which is unusual for him. With significant investment expected, further signings are anticipated.

Levy's recent push aims to ensure most new players are integrated before Tottenham's pre-season friendly against Reading on July 19th. While Frank initially prioritized attacking recruits, he is now focusing on defensive reinforcements following a season where Spurs conceded 65 Premier League goals. Full-backs Kōta Takai and Kevin Danso have already been signed permanently.

However, the midfield remains a key area needing improvement. Tottenham are intensifying efforts to sign João Palhinha from Bayern Munich. The 30-year-old Portugal international, struggling for starts under Vincent Kompany, is open to a Premier League return and could be available for around £26 million, though Spurs face competition from Manchester United.

Spurs' record goalscorer Harry Kane, a current teammate of Palhinha at Bayern, has strongly endorsed the player, previously calling him an "animal" in defensive midfield and a "fantastic" player.

Last season, Tottenham struggled defensively in midfield partly because players like Rodrigo Bentancur were played out of position at the base of the midfield in an ambitious formation. Bentancur and others struggled with this unfamiliar responsibility.

Frank, who rarely used a single holding midfielder at Brentford, might employ a double pivot instead. Evidence from the latter stages of the Europa League suggests Bentancur and Yves Bissouma performed well together in this setup, effectively shielding the defence and sharing ball progression duties. This indicates Frank could potentially improve the team's midfield balance by reverting to a double pivot, even without signing Palhinha.