Before any new business can be done in the January transfer window, Tottenham will have to solve the situation of the current players who are on loan.
Spurs currently have three first team players out on loan from the January transfer window and they could all return at the end of the season.
The Lilywhites also have three first team players on loan from other clubs, two of whose loans will finish at the end of the campaign.
Therefore these situations need solutions before new business should be done in the next transfer window, which could be crucial for Tottenham.
Not only could it help bring in some new quality players to help the current side make the step up required, it could also prove pivotal in keeping Antonio Conte in N17.
These questions that the likes of Fabio Paratici will have to answer will all regard the loans Spurs have in and out, although some decisions may be down to the other clubs.
football.london takes a look at the players in question.
Incomings
Cristian Romero
Romero made the move to the capital from Atalanta last summer and was one of the incomings that Spurs saw under Nuno Espirito Santo.
The defender has already suffered with injury problems but has made a total of 18 appearances for Tottenham so far and is already showing his quality.
The 23-year-old is currently playing on the right of a back three, alongside Eric Dier and Ben Davies and is showing why he was Serie A defender of the year.
Under Conte, Romero has shown that there is still room for improvement but his crunching tackles and courage on the pitch provide hope for the future.
The Argentine is currently on loan at Spurs, who have an option to buy the defender for £42.5million at the end of the season.
A five-year contract has already been agreed between Romero and the Lilywhites as all parties expected the deal would go through in the summer.
Conte has already praised the Argentine international and described him as an "important player" for Tottenham.
Earlier this month the Italian gave an update on Romero's situation.
"I think the club bought him. I think so," he said. "He's on loan but we have an obligation to buy. We bought him!"
Pierluigi Gollini
Another player from Atalanta who made the loan move to north London last summer was goalkeeper Gollini.
The 26-year-old also made the move on an initial loan deal with an option to buy, in both Paratici and Espirito Santo's first incoming of their Tottenham chapter.
Reports suggested that to make the move a permanent one, the Italian would need to play a certain amount of games and Spurs would need to pay £13million.
Gollini is currently second choice to Hugo Lloris and has made just ten appearances since his arrival.
With the skipper recently signing a new contract with the Lilywhites, a replacement number one goalkeeper is not yet needed for Conte.
Therefore it will come down to how much game time the shot stopper is given until the end of the season and if he manages to fulfil the requirements for the permanent deal, if Spurs see enough potential to sign him.
Outgoings
After the closing of the winter window, the Italian gave his verdict on the players who made a move away from N17.
"About the players that went on loan, they need to play more games," Conte addmited. "I think it was right for both sides, the club and the players. These players needed to play more games.
"For sure, it was strange. It was strange to send on loan, and sell one player, in the January transfer window.
"It was strange because it means something went wrong in the past," he added.
Tanguy Ndombele
Ndombele made the move back to Lyon in the January window and his former club do have the option to buy back the player they sold to Spurs in 2019.
The Frenchman has already made quite the impression on the La Liga side who are currently eighth in the table.
However if they want to make the move permanent they will have to pay £54million, which is more than double the amount their current most expensive player was (Jeff Reine-Adelaide at £22.5million).
Ndombele was criticised by fans after he strolled off the pitch when he was substituted, at a point where Tottenham were losing 1-0 to Morecambe and it meant his last moment in a Spurs shirt was him walking off to a stadium full of boos.
The midfielder struggled to get regular game time and when he did, failed to produce consistent performances, leading to his loan.
Bryan Gil
Gil was one of the shocks of the transfer window as just six months after his move to Tottenham, he went back to his home country and joined Valencia on loan until the end of the season.
The 21-year-old was another who was struggling for regular match minutes and as Conte alluded to, was one who needed more game time.
The youngster needs experience to continue his development and although he is already getting that with the Spanish club, only time will tell how valuable that experience is, as he still won't have had the time to settle in to English football when he returns.
The forward has made three La Liga appearances for his new side so far and picked up an assist against Barcelona with a solid cross to his teammate.
If Gil can use his time away from the capital to help his development and return to N17 an improved player, there could be a bright future for the 21-year-old who had already shown glimpses of his potential.
Giovani Lo Celso
Spurs' third and final loanee of the January transfer window was Lo Celso, who just like his teammates, was struggling to break into the regular XI under Conte and failing to consistently impress when given the chance.
The Argentine joined Villarreal until the end of the season, which was confirmed on deadline day.
The midfielder has also made three La Liga appearances for his side who are currently sixth in the Spanish league and has already made the starting XI twice.
The 25-year-old has been praised by the Spanish press and has played a more attacking role than what he was used to at Tottenham.
Paratici will want to look around for both incomings and some more potential outgoings when the next transfer window comes around but Spurs will have to sort out their current loan situations before they can continue this "rebuild" that has been mentioned for a number of years.
Once the loaned out players return, if they all do, the Lilywhites will have to decide what the best decision is for them moving forward.
There will have to be decisions made over whether the players who return to the capital now have a place in the Italian's squad and if not, they will need to move on for their own career and for the financial sake of Tottenham.
Whatever is decided, Daniel Levy and Paratici will need to back the plans of Conte to ensure he remains in N17 after what could be a difficult final few months of the season.
