Ange Postecoglou’s first summer transfer window as the manager of Tottenham Hotspur saw them spend a hefty £212.3m, although they brought in some key players who have enhanced the squad.
They added four first-team players, as well as singing Dejan Kulusevski and Pedro Porro on permanent deals after the duo were on loan at Spurs already.
Brennan Johnson was the most expensive deal the Lillywhites completed. They signed the Welshman on transfer deadline day for £47.5m from Nottingham Forest, becoming his boyhood club’s record sale.
They also signed James Maddison from Leicester City for a fee of £40m. He has had a successful season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite a tough time in recent weeks, scoring four and registering eight assists in the Premier League.
Not only that, Spurs shored up their backline in the summer, completing the signing of Mickey van de Ven from Wolfsburg for a fee of £34.5m, and Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli for £17.2m.
With the 2024 summer transfer window around the corner, it gives Spurs the chance to refresh their squad further and push for a Champions League spot next season.
However, they might well also look to move on some of their current players, with one midfielder in particular seemingly set to leave the club.
What the future holds for Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
The player in question here is Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. The 28-year-old midfielder has just over a year left on his current deal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and could depart this summer.
Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg reported in January that he could depart, with Hojbjerg being linked with a winter move away from North London. Juventus were thought to be one of the sides interested, and former club Bayern Munich also rumoured to be keen on the deal.
Caught Offside have more recently suggested that a deal for Hojbjerg could cost potential suitors a fee of around £20m. It's stated other Serie A clubs AC Milan and Napoli, as well as Atletico Madrid, are interested in bringing the Dane into their club.
Hojbjerg has struggled for consistent game time this season under Postecoglou. The 28-year-old has played 34 times in the Premier League. However, according to Sofascore, he has started just seven fixtures and plays an average of 36 minutes per game.
Unsurprisingly, the Denmark international wants to play more football next season, hence his potential move away from Spurs. However, his large wage could create an issue when finding a new club.
Hojbjerg's salary at Spurs in 2024
Indeed, the 28-year-old midfielder is earning more money than some of Spurs’ biggest stars. Whilst he doesn't earn close to the £190k-per-week that captain Son Heung-min earns, or the £170k-per-week Maddison is on, he is actually one of the highest earners at the club, according to Capology.
Aside from Son and Maddison, there are just three players who earn more than Hojbjerg at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium; Timo Werner and Cristian Romero, who are both on £165k-per-week, and Kulusevski, who earns £110k-per-week.
Hojbjerg currently earns a weekly salary of £100k at Spurs, which is more than several of their biggest stars, including Pedro Porro, who earns £75k and Micky Van de Ven, who is on just £50k.
That's particularly poignant given their recent displays, both Porro and Van de Ven scoring in Tottenham's win over Burnley on Saturday afternoon.
Should Spurs wish to shift Hojbjerg this summer, it could be a problem finding a club willing to match the £100k he earns. It may well be the case that the player needs to take a pay cut in order to find a permanent move this summer.
It is certainly in Spurs’ interest to sell the Dane. The £20m they want for him this year can be reinvested into another midfielder to strengthen in the centre of the park. They have been linked with Amadou Onana in a £45m move.
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