Conor Gallagher is above all else a signing of convenience for Thomas Frank. He was, crucially, a player available at short notice, a Southerner looking for a move back to the Premier League at a time when Tottenham had been plunged into desperate need.
Not only the need for midfield reinforcements after discovering Rodrigo Bentancur’s hamstring injury would require surgery and rule him out for three months but the need for a psychological boost, the need for a fresh signing, someone first-team-ready and able to convince supporters the club was not letting this season simply slide away.