Tottenham smashed their transfer record to sign Lyon’s Tanguy Ndombele for £63million, but their only other signing, Jack Clarke, has gone straight back to Leeds on loan.

Trouble shifting unwanted players like Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Serge Aurier and Victor Wanyama have curbed Mauricio Pochettino’s grand plans for a “new chapter”, although the sale of Christian Eriksen would accelerate the rebuild.

Whatever happens with the Dane, Pochettino is determined to land a playmaker before Thursday's deadline, with the club still working on exciting deals for Juventus’s Paulo Dybala and Giovani Lo Celso, of Real Betis - both Argentines, which contradicts Pochettino’s claim that he has no input into transfers.

Philippe Coutinho and Sporting Lisbon’s Bruno Fernandes have also been considered.

The club expect to get a deal for Fulham prodigy Ryan Sessegnon over the line, with Josh Onomah going the other way.

Danny Rose and Aurier could still leave, which might prompt an 11th-hour approach for a full-back.

Tottenham summer ins and outs

In: Tanguy Ndombele (Lyon, £63m); Jack Clarke (Leeds, £10m, loaned back).

Out: Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid, £20m); Vincent Janssen (Monterrey, £6.3m); Luke Amos (QPR, loan); Fernando Llorente, Michel Vorm (both released).