Tottenham are finally set to make their move in the transfer market with Juventus duo Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur on the verge of joining the club.
A very quiet month for Spurs so far despite Antonio Conte having three priority positions to solve before Monday's 11pm deadline, the Lilywhites, who are traditionally late movers in the market, are about to add to their squad.
On the move two years ago after Fabio Paratici lured him from Atalanta to Juventus, Kulusevski's Tottenham deal is expected to be a loan one but with an option to buy for £33million.
However, it will become an obligation to buy once certain criteria are met.
Central midfielder Bentancur, who was linked with Aston Villa this month, will then come in and give Conte more options in the middle of the park and provide competition alongside players such as Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp.
Given Kulusevski is from Sweden and Bentancur from Uruguay, many Tottenham fans have been keen to know whether the two deals will impact the club's non-homegrown player numbers.
A big problem in the past with both Mauricio Pochettino and Jose Mourinho having to give the bad news to some players that they had not made their European squad, the issue has been eased this season thanks to Paratici.
The summer exits of Erik Lamela, Serge Aurier, Moussa Sissoko, Toby Alderweireld, Juan Foyth, Carlos Vinicius and Paulo Gazzaniga took seven non-locally trained players off their books, thus giving Tottenham a bit more freedom in the transfer market.
What has not helped Spurs in recent years is that UEFA and Premier League rules are slightly different, with players who learned their trade outside England seen as non-homegrown by UEFA even if it means they came through an academy at a Welsh or Irish club.
As a result, Joe Rodon, Ben Davies and Matt Doherty do not qualify as locally trained in European competition but they do when it comes to the Premier League.
England international Eric Dier, who grew up in Portugal and came through Sporting CP's system, is classed as a non-homegrown player by both the Premier League and UEFA.
Having moved seven non-locally trained players on in the summer, the Lilywhites then brought in Cristian Romero, Bryan Gil, Pierluigi Gollini and Emerson Royal and this meant they were bang on the limit of 17 non-homegrown players in the Europa Conference League.
While Spurs were at the limit of 17 in Europe, in the Premier League their non-homegrown numbers were at 13 as Rodon, Doherty and Davies are seen as homegrown players.
Gil also wasn't included on their list of non-homegrown stars as he could be named as part of their Under-21 players as he was born after January 1, 2000.
As things stand at present with Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Gil not yet completing loan moves away this month, Spurs have three spaces up for grabs in their 25-man Premier League squad, all of which can be filled by foreign players.
There is even space for another non-homegrown player to come in but that would likely come at the cost of academy defender Tobi Omole, who was registered as one of nine homegrown players even though only eight are required.
Although Gil's likely loan move to Valencia won't impact Tottenham's numbers as he is on their Under-21 list, exits for Ndombele and Lo Celso would free up another two spaces in terms of non-homegrown player numbers, meaning they would be able to name a maximum of six new foreign players in their squad if they so wished.
Right now there is plenty of space for both Kulusevski and Bentancur in the Tottenham squad without Paratici desperately needing to move players on to fit them in.
As is the case with Gil, Kulusevski can be registered as an U21 player as he was born after January 1, 2000.
Tottenham's Premier League numbers as things stand
Homegrown players
Brandon Austin, Matt Doherty, Ben Davies, Joe Rodon, Japhet Tanganga, Tobi Omole, Harry Winks, Dele Alli, Harry Kane
Non-homegrown players
Hugo Lloris, Pierluigi Gollini, Emerson Royal, Cristian Romero, Eric Dier, Davinson Sanchez, Sergio Reguilon, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Giovani Lo Celso, Tanguy Ndombele, Lucas Moura, Steven Bergwijn, Son Heung-min
Under-21 list
Oliver Skipp, Ryan Sessegnon, Bryan Gil, Dane Scarlett
