Tottenham Hotspur are fifth in the Premier League after 20 matches and have a five-point cushion over sixth-placed West Ham United, with Arsenal just one point ahead in the top four.
It's a testament to the progress under Ange Postecoglou that Spurs have endured bumps in the road but remain in contention for a successful season, but, with the Australian manager handing technical director Johan Lange a shopping list comprised of multiple targets, the January transfer window must be used to strengthen the squad and deepen the ranks.
Spurs transfer news – Dan Neil
According to a recent report from Sunderland Nation, the Championship side face an arduous task in retaining midfielder Dan Neil's services this month, with numerous Premier League clubs eyeing a deal.
Tottenham are at the front of the transfer battle but are joined in their interest by Arsenal and Liverpool, with the 22-year-old enjoying another sensational season in England's second tier.
Dan Neil's season by numbers
Having already chalked up 131 senior appearances for Sunderland after graduating from the academy, Neil has established himself as a key component of the squad.
Having started 42 times in the Championship as Sunderland pushed for promotion (unsuccessfully) last year, he has taken the next step in his development this season and is comfortably one of the most exciting midfield talents in the division.
As per Sofascore, the enterprising ace has started 25 matches this term, scoring four goals and supplying three assists. The youngster has proven to be the all-round package from the middle of the park, completing 90% of his passes, averaging 1.2 key passes, 1.4 tackles and 5.2 ball recoveries per game while also succeeding with 57% of his dribbles.
How Dan Neil compares to Dele Alli
Described as a "starry-eyed kid" by former Sunderland boss Lee Johnson, Neil is one of the Championship's finest passers and ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across divisions similar to the English second-flight for pass completion, the top 13% for attempted passes and the top 16% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref.
He was also claimed to be the "standout player of the season" in 2022 by Black Cats legend Kevin Phillips after, aged just 20, he played a pivotal role in promotion from League One.
A strong passer and relentless tackler, the 5 foot 10 Neil is the kind of multi-functional midfielder that Postecoglou could sculpt into a true world-beater down the N17, and while the player will be desperate to engineer a return to the top-flight for Sunderland, should they fail in their endeavour it is only a matter of time before the allure of the Premier League proves too much to resist.
And if Tottenham were to complete a swoop, they may even repeat the past feat of signing Dele Alli, who likewise joined Spurs from the EFL. On that occasion, it was League One outfit MK Dons who racked in a big fee, with Alli moving on in 2015 for just £5m.
While Alli has fallen from grace over the past few years, there is no question that he enjoyed one of the most prodigious rises to the top in Premier League history, scoring 37 goals and supplying 29 assists across his first three campaigns.
Tottenham beat Liverpool to the England international's signature way back when, and while he was a more offensive midfielder than Neil, the feat could be repeated here, signing a talented English midfielder from a lower-league team and turning him into a sparkling gem.