It will come as no shock to any living Englishman that has kicked a ball that Harry Redknapp is looking to add to his squad. As sure as we are that Frank Lampard will score 20 goals this season, and that in the near future we will stop and ask ourselves how Garth Crooks remains employed by the BBC, we know that when the transfer window is open, Redknapp rubs his hands together with the same glee as Yaya Toure in an Eastlands boardroom. There is no doubt that to contend in the four competitions that Spurs will this season they will need a hefty squad, but if Harry is after an attacking midfielder, he should resist temptation and look no further than his own training ground.

Giovani Dos Santos’ first two seasons in England have not gone to plan. It won’t have helped that the manager that signed him, Juande Ramos, was sacked within two months of his arrival, and during Harry Redknapp’s overhaul of the squad, the Mexican was overlooked. Redknapp has questioned Dos Santos’ commitment and attitude after claiming that he spent too much time in nightclubs and was regularly late to training on a Monday morning. How ill-disciplined his time has been at the club will only be known by those at White Hart Lane, what we know is that that same period of time has only resulted in seven competitive appearances for Dos Santos, as he has had to make do with loan spells to Ipswich and Galatasaray to get games under his belt. This may now be time to start afresh for all those concerned.

One of the obstacles for Dos Santos is the number of players competing for games in the Tottenham wide positions: Modric, Lennon, Kranjcar, Bentley and now Bale. What will encourage Dos Santos is that Redknapp does give players a chance, and if the performances are good enough, they are then rewarded with a run of games: both Roman Pavlyuchenko and David Bentley got runs of games after months on the side lines. In addition, many Spurs players, like Dos Santos, can be shifted around. Will Bale play at left-back of further forward? That could depend on whether Modric is deployed wide, or in the middle, which depends on who Redknapp wants to play with Huddlestone. If Redknapp is wary about his striking options, he could play Dos Santos off a main striker (although he usually plays two) during European away days when he wants to swamp the midfield and get time on the ball.

After missing the early part of pre-season, having been given time off because of the World Cup, Dos Santos has impressed in the games that he has featured in, providing energy and imagination, particularly in the game against Fiorentina in which he was the architect of most of Spurs’ best moves. He has carried on from where he left off at the World Cup; if Tottenham can get the player that plays for Mexico then they will have saved a good lump of money. Redknapp and Spurs fans will be hoping that Do Santos feels he has a point to prove, after the stuttering start to his Tottenham career. In a transfer market that is becoming increasingly difficult to negotiate – if Redknapp is having problems, times must be tough – then his efforts should go towards a defender to cover the troubled King and Woodgate, who both look set for another trying season. Potentially, Redknapp could move for another striker, but that will cost more money, and he has greater options in that department, even if he isn’t totally happy with them.

Dos Santos has shown on the biggest stage in the game that he has the attributes to be a top player, and if he does need a word in his ear and a confidence boost, there are few better in the Premier League than Harry Redknapp at that sort of man-management. Dos Santos turned 21 last May; quick, young, eager, talented – think Gareth Bale this time last year – Spurs have a potential gem among their ranks.

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With the PL season nearly upon us, let’s see the WAGS that will be keeping the players on their toes. Click on image to VIEW gallery