Tottenham fans will be keeping a keen eye on new signings Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski over the next week or so with three games on the agenda.
Facing Brighton & Hove Albion at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the FA Cup on Saturday evening, Spurs will then host Southampton and Wolves in the Premier League next week.
As Bentancur has now joined former Juventus teammate Kulusevski on the training pitch at Hotspur Way following his return from international duty with Uruguay, both could potentially make their debut for the Lilywhites against the Seagulls.
Both players will strengthen Antonio Conte's options in midfield and attack as they look to push for the top four, but former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes Kulusevski may have a bit-part role to play to begin with, whereas Bentancur will immediately find himself in the XI and subsequently make a "huge difference" to the team's midfield.
Given Conte didn't get much joy out of Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso in the middle of the park before their loan exits, Bentancur could turn out to be a shrewd signing.
"Kulusevski is an interesting signing. He’s come in on an 18-month loan initially but he’s also a player that [Fabio] Paratici signed for Juventus as well. He’s a player that Paratici knows very, very well," Robinson told BetfredTV.
"Bentancur excites me too. I think he’s a top player who will come immediately into the side and strengthen the starting eleven.
"Kulusevski will play a bit part as he’s similar to what Tottenham have already got in Son Heung-min, Steven Bergwijn and Lucas Moura. He’s left-foot dominated and will play on the right-hand side and cut in on his left foot with a great delivery.
"I wouldn’t see him going straight into the starting XI but Bentancur will. He will make a huge difference as he’s a combative midfielder, a tackler who can assist and get in the box as well.
"He’s a really good signing and one thing that really pleased me from the window was that Antonio Conte was given free range to do what he wanted.
“[Daniel] Levy has backed Conte in a way as he’s let £120million worth of talent leave. Ndombele had been a huge problem off the field as his application wasn’t what you expect and his performances on the field have been poor.
"Lo Celso and [Bryan] Gil have also both been allowed to leave on loan. Gil looked slight and didn’t look ready for the Premier League so the manager has allowed him to leave.
“The two players coming in were players who the manager clearly wanted and wanted to be a part of his squad. Tottenham isn’t a quick fix and January is a notoriously hard window. The manager now needs backing in the next two or three transfer windows."
