3 free agents Tottenham could still sign to keep them up with Raheem Sterling available

The January transfer window may have come and gone, but Tottenham Hotspur could still dip into the free agent market to give them a much-needed boost as they look to avoid relegation

Tottenham Hotspur could turn to the free agent market to address injury issues currently haunting them for the latter stages of 2025/26.

The Lilywhites are currently without 11 first-team players as a result of various problems spanning from pulled hamstrings to ruptured ACLs, with absentees clearly having an issue on Spurs’ performances on the pitch. As things stand, Spurs currently sit 16th in the Premier League standings, just five points clear of the relegation zone.

As the club look to appoint a new head coach following the dismissal of Thomas Frank – who was sacked on Wednesday morning after a lacklustre run of form – the board could also opt to scour the market for late reinforcements for their final 12 Premier League fixtures.

Here, football.london breaks down a number of stars who currently are without a club and could potentially be a good fit for Spurs…

Raheem Sterling

With Wilson Odobert rupturing his ACL in Tuesday evening’s 2-1 loss to Newcastle United, the versatile left-winger will be out for a lengthy period. As a result, Spurs could take a look at revitalising Raheem Sterling’s career in north London.

After early success with Liverpool and Manchester City – clinching four Premier League titles and an FA Cup with the latter – Sterling was moved on to Chelsea in 2022. While the forward thrived under the tutelage of Graham Potter and Maurico Pochettino in his first two seasons, Sterling’s future at Stamford Bridge was cast into speculation upon the arrival of Enzo Maresca.

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The Italian head coach didn’t see Sterling as a part of his long-term Chelsea vision, with Sterling joining Arsenal on a year-long loan in the summer of 2024. Despite making 28 appearances under Mikel Arteta, he failed to make enough of an impression to seal a permanent move, and was sent back to his parent club for 2025/26.

After being shut out of the first team once more, Sterling saw his contract with Chelsea terminated by mutual consent at the end of January. Now a free agent at the age of 31, Sterling’s best years may be in the rear-view mirror, but the winger has proven that he still has a shift in him, given the chance.

A short-term contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium certainly couldn’t hurt, given the Lilywhites are currently lacking in firepower.

Ryan Kent

A Liverpool academy graduate who never really saw a chance to thrive in the Premier League, Ryan Kent made a name for himself with Rangers between 2019 and 2023 – helping the Glaswegian giants to a Scottish Premiership and a Scottish Cup apiece in an era largely dominated by Celtic.

A four-year deal with Fenerbahce followed, although he lasted just a year with the Turkish titans before his contract was mutually terminated. While Kent enjoyed a season-long stint with Seattle Sounders in 2025, he has been a free agent since January. A pacey left-winger with fast feet, Kent could be exactly what Spurs need to bolster their attacking line.

Jesse Lingard

With James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall and Dejan Kulusevski all out of action at present, Spurs could also look to bolster their engine room for the second half of the season. He might be 33 and into the twilight years of his career, but Jesse Lingard could still be a viable option in the short term.

Out of contract since cutting ties with FC Seoul in December, the midfielder has already proven he has Premier League quality thanks to successful stints with Manchester United, West Ham United and Nottingham Forest.

While his age come as a slight concern, Jordan Henderson has continued to put on plenty of POTM-worthy performances with Brentford at 35, while 33-year-old Granit Xhaka has arguably been Sunderland’s signing of the season.

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