Pape Matar Sarr is Conor Gallagher's biggest threat at Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur center midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is one of the last names left on the transfer list before the window officially ends in a couple of weeks, as clubs in the Saudi Pro League and even in the Premier League have been linked to the Senegalese international.
Last season at this time, Sarr had a ton of hype, as he was one of the big standouts of the preseason and actually started the 2025/26 campaign playing amazing football under Thomas Frank before, like so many others on Spurs, fizzling out. That's not all, but he was also very good for the Senegal national team before injuries and inconsistent play derailed his season.
Sarr isn't someone favored by Roberto De Zerbi, and his playing style as more of a counterattacking and transition ball winning No. 8 doesn't really suit how RDZ wants to play. But with a strong performance against Hoffenheim in the final friendly of the preseason, Sarr reminded Tottenham fans that he isn't totally hopeless and could yet add a twist to the team if Spurs are not able to find a suitable buyer before the window ends.
Conor Gallagher can't think he is safe
In particular, Pape Matar Sarr is a threat to Tottenham Hotspur's surprising big money winter signing Conor Gallagher. The latter's job at Tottenham as a role player is safe under Roberto De Zerbi, as the former Brighton manager takes a liking to Gallagher, who could very well be the starting No. 10 for the Lilywhites when the 2026/27 Premier League season officially opens due to James Maddison's prolonged recovery from the 2025 ACL tear.
Sarr and Gallagher are not that dissimilar. They are crashers who like to run a lot, play in transition, win the ball, and quickly create chances. They are not poor technically but not anywhere near great technically either, and though De Zerbi likes Gallagher's intensity and work rate, Sarr does those same things and has actually done them better than Gallagher over the past year, accounting for his quality at the beginning of the 2025/26 campaign that has now gone forgotten.
If Sarr stays with Tottenham and does not go to Saudi Arabia or Brentford, he will be a real thorn in the side of Gallagher, and if De Zerbi keeps an open mind, the Senegalese center midfielder could make Gallagher the new last man on the midfield depth chart. Sarr is honestly someone Spurs should be moving if they can, but, well, so is Gallagher, and he has to remember that next season when the competition heats up.
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