Tottenham close in on midfield reinforcements as Rodrigo Bentancur undergoes hamstring surgery

Football
14 Jan 2026 • 12:09 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Rodrigo Bentancur is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after undegoing surgery on his right hamstring, with Tottenham set to sign Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher to strengthen their midfield options.

Bentancur suffered the injury during Spurs’ dramatic 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth in the Premier League last week, with the Uruguayan being replaced by Archie Gray in the closing stages of the clash.

It is believed the 28-year-old will be out for up to three months, joining Lucas Bergvall on the sidelines, who also picked up an injury against the Cherries, along with long-term absentee James Maddison.

“We can confirm that Rodrigo Bentancur has undergone surgery on his right hamstring,” Spurs confirmed on X.

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) January 13, 2026

“The Uruguay international midfielder suffered the injury during our Premier League fixture at Bournemouth last week and will now commence his rehabilitation with our medical staff.”

The development comes as Tottenham close in on a £34m deal for Atletico Madrid midfielder Conor Gallagher, who will fill the hole left by Bentancur in Thomas Frank’s squad.

Aston Villa had also made an approach for the 25-year-old former Chelsea star but Spurs hashed out a deal ahead of their Premier League counterparts after offering a more attractive proposal for both club and player.

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Spurs are also looking at Monaco attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche again as they look to reinforce further in the middle of the park.

Tottenham hold a long-time interest in the 23-year-old Frenchman and have reignited their interest from the summer transfer window.

Frank has been keen to strengthen in the attacking midfield department since his arrival, landing Xavi Simons in the summer after failing in their pursuits of Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze, who opted to sign for rivals Arsenal.

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