Tottenham Hotspur may well still be focused on securing a top-four berth come the end of the season, although the major priority for chairman Daniel Levy will be to find a permanent successor to Antonio Conte in the dugout.
Any new managerial arrival at N17 will likely be keen to put their stamp on things by making notable acquisitions this summer, with recent speculation having suggested that one potential target that the club are already looking at is Sporting CP starlet, Manuel Ugarte.
According to reports in Portugal earlier this month – via Sport Witness – the Lilywhites are reportedly interested in even making an 'official proposal' for the 22-year-old, with the midfielder said to have a release clause of around €60m (£53m) in his existing deal.
A more recent update from transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has revealed that if the north Londoners are to press on with the signing of the Uruguayan international, it will be "later in the window and not now".
Either way, it does appear that the Montevideo native is of interest to those at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with it set to represent a real coup if the Premier League side can snap up the 6 ft sensation ahead of next season.
Would Ugarte be a good signing for Spurs?
The addition of the former Famalicao ace would certainly provide some extra steel to Tottenham's midfield this season, with Ugarte having been hailed as a "warrior" by talent scout Jacek Kulig in recent times.
The eight-cap menace has also received notable praise from journalist Dave Hendrick who dubbed him an "absolute monster", while also suggesting that the midfield maestro is a "ball-winning machine".
That has been evidenced by the fact that the promising titan has averaged 3.9 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game from 29 Primeira Liga appearances, while also averaging 4.8 tackles per game during the Champions League group stage – the most of any player in the competition.
As writer Raj Chohan previously noted, the highly-rated ace has served as an in-house "replacement" for ex-teammate Joao Palhinha, with the latter man having since proved "one of the signings of the season" after joining Fulham last summer, as per Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir.
It would certainly be a mouthwatering prospect to have Ugarte lining up alongside current Spurs star Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the centre of the park next season, with the latter man also described as a "warrior" by journalist Nubaid Haroon.
The Denmark international has had an "amazing season" thus far – according to ex-England number one, Paul Robinson, having also showcased his ball-winning prowess after averaging 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game from his 30 top-flight appearances.
The 27-year-old also offers a real composed presence on the ball as he has an average pass accuracy rate of 89%, with Ugarte also sharing that quality in possession as has averaged 91% for the same metric in the league this season.
To have such a solid midfield partnership at their disposal next season would certainly bolster Spurs' chance of kicking on under their next long-term manager, with any new appointment set to relish having two 'warriors' to call upon.
