The festive period has been relievingly sunny at Tottenham Hotspur, with Ange Postecoglou's side putting the misery of a five-match winless run in the Premier League behind them.
Now, with numerous key players imminently returning from lengthy layoffs, there is genuine cause for optimism and a real belief that Spurs can construct a purple patch that will take them to the business end of the 2023/24 campaign with it all to play for.
The January transfer window marks a crucial point, however, and while the defence is being prioritised, Postecoglou appears to be lining up a bid for an exciting midfield prospect.
Spurs transfer news – Gabriel Misehouy
According to a report from Tottenham Hotspur News, the London club is in the hunt to add to their impressive youth ranks by signing Ajax teenager Gabriel Misehouy, who is out of contract with the Dutch Eredivisie side in June.
Yet to make his senior debut, Misehouy has taken great strides in his development for Ajax's development side this year and scouts have relayed to Postecoglou that he is well-suited for the Spurs project.
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It's unlikely that Tottenham would move to sign the youngster this month and will instead take advantage of his contract situation, welcoming him to the fold in the summer.
Gabriel Misehouy's style of play
Described as a "diamond" of a player by his family, Misehouy has been profiled by the Guardian in their 'Next Generation 2022' list, described as a versatile No. 10 and confident – even thriving – when pressured.
While he has yet to receive a senior debut in his homeland, the 18-year-old has been in fine fettle this season and sat Ajax's Eredivisie outing against FC Twente on the bench, notably scoring six goals and supplying three assists from only nine starts in the Keuken Kampioen Divisie – the second tier of Dutch football.
It's worth noting that Misehouy picked up a knock earlier in the year and missed nine matches in what appears to have inhibited his chances of an ascent to the top level, but with a goal and an assist in his previous outing there is little doubt that he is knocking on John van 't Schip's door.
Should Spurs succeed with a swoop for the 5 foot 8 dynamo, then Postecoglou could even get his mitts on the next version of Christian Eriksen, with the former White Hart Lane stalwart signing from Ajax for £11.5m in 2013, when he was 21.
At the height of his game in London, Eriksen, certainly similar positionally to Misehhouy, was heralded as a "magician" by teammate Dele Alli (whose thoughts were no doubt reflected throughout the squad) and chalked up 305 appearances, posting 69 goals and 90 assists as he established himself as one of the Premier League's finest playmakers.
Now playing for Manchester United, the 31-year-old Dane still ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 15% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, but at Tottenham, his prowess was on a different level.
A dexterous string-puller, Eriksen is not a like-for-like attacking midfielder when comparing him to Misehouy, but by signing another young Ajax 10 and moulding them into a Premier League-calibre star, the Postecoglou project could be solidified and propelled to new heights in the years to come.