As is always the case at this time of year, Tottenham Hotspur are being linked with a number of players as the build up to the new Premier League season begins in earnest. Just the two new faces have come into the club thus far this summer, but both are high profile and definitely improve Mauricio Pochettino’s already healthy squad. Marseille’s Georges-Kevin Nkoudou is set to bring that number up to three in the coming days, and he also appears an exciting prospect. Pochettino is one of the smoothest operators around when it comes to bringing players into the football club. It is rare for the Spurs gaffer to sign a dud, and he always ensures that anyone coming in is a hard worker, adds quality, and that they will not upset the harmony in the Tottenham dressing room. As players meeting these criteria are few and far between, I don’t see more than one or two more additions before the end of the month. Let’s have a look at the potential targets.
Danny Drinkwater
One of the star men during Leicester City’s Premier League title success last season, Danny Drinkwater has been strongly linked with Spurs over the last few days. While there is no doubt that Drinkwater was instrumental in the Leicester City story, I’m not sure Tottenham are really in need of another centre midfielder. While he is more of a playmaker than Victor Wanyama and Eric Dier, his return of just two goals in the last two Premier League campaigns is not a great return and I just don’t know if Drinkwater is any better than what Tottenham already have available in the middle of the park. He was a player that will have been popular with punters that had Leicester City among their football accumulator tips last term.
Mattias Ginter
The Borussia Dortmund centre-half is another possible target for Spurs, but like the centre of midfield, I’m just not convinced that the club need more reinforcements in this position. Admittedly, Jan Vertonghen is currently out with ankle ligament damage sustained during training for Belgium prior to Euro 2016 but he should be back shortly after the start of the season. Mauricio Pochettino also has the likes of Today Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer and even Eric Dier who can all play at the heart of the defence. While I rate Mattias Ginter highly, I don’t envisage us parting with £25m for the German’s services.
Rafa Silva
This looks like a better fit for Tottenham as far as I’m concerned. Portugal international Rafa Silva is reportedly very keen on a move to England, and at just 23 years of age, he has the sell on potential that Daniel Levy craves. Coming off the back of some impressive performances at the recent European Championships, Silva is a versatile player and proven goalscorer who would add something different to that which Mauricio Pochettino currently has at his disposal. Silva has been linked with a number of sides over the past few months including Porto, Everton and Leicester, but it could well be Tottenham who land the exciting young playmaker. Silva would definitely be an interesting addition, especially with Tottenham’s Champions League campaign on the horizon.
I’d take Ginter all day long. Vertonghen is always injured and the cover we have are midfielders come defenders. Won’t get away with that in the CL.
He’s signed a few duds. I love the man and agree he’s fantastic but if you look over his time with both Spurs and Saints there’s defo a few there. N’Jie, Fazio and Satmbouli Spring straight to mind instantly… Like I said, I love the man, not a criticism. lets not romanticise it though, he makes mistakes like everyone else
SPURES targets 1.Riyad maharaz 2.SOFIANE boufal 3.Daniel drinkwater 4.Andre grey 5.Georges n koudou (lamela, Chadli, bentaleb, mason, caroll)
“Today” Alderweireld, tomorrow Wimmer, next week Carter-Vickers??!!
Dan Mac has said it – Pochettino’s managerial career is littered with dud signings, from Osvaldo at Southampton, to N’Jie, Fazio, Stambouli and possibly Son at Spurs – so far he’s won nothing and yet people talk as if he’s Mourinho Mk2! Let’s see how he does if the usual suspects (who gave ourselves and Leicester a free run last season) are back, and if we’re still top three in May 2017 (and haven’t suffered the traditional Pochettino late season collapse), I might just start believing in the hype.
Rafa Silva is a possibility but we should be pushing for Ante Coric from Zagreb. Is 4 years younger and much more advanced technically than Silva.
Drinkwater story is nonsense as is Ginter.
For get Drinkwater there are plenty at WHL as good as him or indeed better , would love to see spelling dodgy Sissoso of Newcastle he is the man to take us that bit futher in the CL .
The facts – Stambouli and Fazio were during a time When Baldini was in charge of recruitment and although he must have agreed they were brought in fairly late if I remember with not much time for anything else. Poch though had the guts not to play them as his believe was they were not good enough both in training and on the odd performance. Poch is on his own with the Osvaldo one although lots of people thought he was a good prospect. Bottom line is that Poch has bought a higher percentage of decent players than the odd flop (Njie, who could still be a star) whilst at Tottenaham. Just look at the emergence and better performances of Kane, Mason, Bentaleb, Rose, Walker, Lamela and the quality he has bought, Alli, Alderweireld, Dier
Sounds like were all on the managers back, he did us proud last season up to third place. Stop slagging him off and go and support OUR BOYS. The best only get better so come on you SPURS
As a fan I had to laugh at this article….. ‘one of the smoothest operators around’ who rarely ‘signs a dud’. Really? Others listed the duds he signed and that he has won nothing – even when out on a plate – so I won’t. Even when three of the Big four were in turmoil, we ended up behind Arsenal and binned the CC and FA cups and EL also ng the way.
Smoothest operator? Utter clown more like.
Pochettino has said he is happy with defensive options.
Wimmer is not a midfielder. He is a dedicated centre-half who covered Vertonghen really well last season and was unlucky to lose his place.
Dier is a dedicated centre-half converted to DM – not the other way around. Wanyama covers him, he covers Alderweireld.
It seems there are folk, and Spurs fans no less, who want to spout about Pochettino without understanding anything about his modus operandi. He likes a small squad with versatile players. This facilitates the building of team spirit while reducing the scope for disaffected pros on the periphery kicking up a stink due to lack of playing time, etc. Like everything else in life there is a potential downside – being a small squad, for instance, it is possible to scrutinise it to death and say that if this, this and this happen we might be left short. But the alternative is to have a bigger squad – with the pitfalls listed above. The shortfall is made up from the youth – which is where the highly rated Cameron Carter-Vickers comes in. Simple. It is how he chooses to operate -you want to comment you should familiarise yourselves with it !
Likewise, the way the THFC transfer committee operates. Poch is part of it and, so we are led to believe, he has the final say on whether a player joins or not. He also is instrumental in setting a maximum we are prepared to pay for any given player – and is more than capable of doing this sensibly given his academic qualifications (do some research, check it out). So Levy isn’t refusing to cough up for players Poch wants – but I still keep on reading just that!
Yes, Pochettino, and whatever transfer committee he has been working with have made some mistakes – but folk on here are over-egging it a bit! Osvaldo was a disaster – but Poch had worked with him previously. It was the player’s own particular kind of crazy that unhinged that move and not his footballing ability. Perhaps Poch has learned from it and places even more emphasis on temperament of any potential signing. Fazio was a disaster but Stambouli was sold so quickly because an offer giving a considerable profit was made after one season for a player who wasn’t going to be a nailed on first teamer, and so hardly the disaster some are making it. Both were signed early when Pochettino was trying to bring some order to the chaos he inherited – when, maybe the quality willing to come was limited. N’Jie spent a fair part of last season injured. Pochettino was happy enough to keep him but also happy to let him go. Can’t call that a Paulinho level disaster. Son had a good start and then got injured. Slightly disappointing so far but that is all. Anyone calling that a failed transfer move…no, just no!
Who is comparing Pochettino to Mourinho? No-one so far as I know. And it would be a foolish comparison to make as you probably couldn’t find two managers further apart. Mourinho achieves immediate success by joining cheque-book clubs, buying big money players at their peak and gains instance success, at the cost of long-term development by holding siege-mentality side playing negative football leaning heavily on the dark arts. He is not particularly known for leaving a legacy. Pochettino, on the other hand, is more inclined towards youth oriented development at a club with a good youth set-up to provide a stream of young acolytes to play his high intensity attack oriented football with a high emphasis on team-spirit, and he is all about the long-term, working to a plan years ahead the goal of sustainable success. Mourinho wants two (expensive) players per position, Pochettino likes a small squad with versatile players. Anyone who imagines that having a high opinion of Poch is ‘comparing him to Mourinho’ has missed the point somewhat!
As a Spurs fan for 58 years, the current crop of Spurs fans stagger me, ready to whinge and moan even when we look like we are making progress as a team.
We need to be realistic, yes we could have finished better last season, but if you had suggested we would finish 3rd in the PL in the August, your hand would have been bitten off.
Now it is “woe is us” and the manager is a clown, absolutely beggars belief really. What do these people want? We CANNOT compete in monetary terms with the Chelsea’s, United, City’s of this World.
What we can do however is compete on the pitch with probably the brightest young team in Europe, a year more experienced and in the CL.
So lighten up, recognise what we have, a very good team still a work in progress, a strong no nonsense manager and one of the best Chairmen around?
SP and Tim said it all for me really and saved me a lot of time composing a reply to all the negative supporters above.
Truth of the matter is, I have been following Spurs for 48 years and won’t bore you with the tremendous players that I have seen at our club over that time, but personally I can’t think of a more exciting time,for youngsters especially, to be supporting Spurs. I am of course adding in the new Stadium build along with the emergence of a side that is already starting to look the part. The futures bright, the futures blue and white.
I’m going to be critical because I feel Tottenham really need to strengthen their squad with first team contenders. They are facing a different ball game this season. All the optimism is in grave danger of crashing out big time this coming season if Tottenham are content with their present squad?
Of course, I hope N’Koudou really makes a big impression and am happy to have Janssen on board but its more likely that initially Wanyama will be the only player to force his way into the present first team selections. There remains a big problem playing Pochettino’s system and method when looking at the bench and I would contend that certain first choice players are not as good as made out by so many. Its not that players are bad but rather that they are not good enough or consistent enough to warrant a team place when the team is crying out for more.
I would like to see both Eriksen and Dier challenged by more productive bodies, for instance. I am concerned particularly that Tottenham haven’t addressed the position of goal keeper reserve. All reserves should be seriously challenging for a position in any squad that sets its sights to Premiership and Champions League success.
I don’t subscribe to media pundit and supporter blabber about the strength and depth of a squad that brings on Trippier, Davies, Mason, Carroll, and plays with an out and out defensive midfielder who has poor creativity and another who is too inconsistent for words. That Dier was rated so highly as to be awarded 70,000 per week leaves me wondering much? It doesn’t surprise me that Eriksen feels entitled to similar and this sort of expectation. This tendency has the serious potential to snowball throughout the squad is likely to become disruptive and it’s hard for me to fathom how this came about after Kane got such a huge boost in income ? That’s my personal opinion concerning enormous financial rewards to players . I understand Kane was due a big reward with a big boost in income too.
With Eriksen a poor defender around the pitch for all his work rate and often disappearing for long spells throughout the season his strength as a creative force for the team is often sacrificed. Dier while is effective and strong in the air defensively, is a poor distributor and he lacks awareness too often. It may not be noticed but I would be much more inclined to have experts in their own positions and would choose Wimmer ahead of him as a central defender in any event. The midfield has been crying out for a player that can pass well from deep and who can break rapidly and attack creatively. Dier hasn’t demonstrated he is capable of that and Tottenham wonder why they cannot manage to break the opposition down? In my opinion that’s the primary reason. He’s a good player with versatility but no more and though he does his job he is too limited in respects to become a top midfielder, defensive or not.
While with a full squad Tottenham have a strong first team when injuries of suspensions hit their options lack what’s required to succeed. There is no real point in talking about their fourth place last season when facing the challenges ahead.
I’d be optimistic about Onamah but Winks reminds me of Stambouli and Walks looks the next best prospect to me for the coming season. He could make some sort of breakthrough among the younger players. I’d put Carroll ahead of Winks, Miller, and Mason but none of these are quite simply good enough.
Tottenham don’t have a lean, mean squad but rather have a squad filled with mediocrity and weakness that should be promptly reduced so new blood can replace many who presently hold positions within it. Edwards looks likely to produce some inspiration in the distant future but besides a proper new keeper and hopefully another top striker Tottenham really need another top attacking midfielder to complete the first eleven and should be concerned about full backs positions too. Miller would be poor there no doubt and while Yedlin for me has more potential than either Davies or Trippier he too has a lot to work on and improve defensively. For defenders, their primary job should be to be able to defend well. Any who cannot or are weak in doing that shouldn’t be near the first eleven. Presently we have full backs that are suspect defensively and even not suited to defend well. Davies is too slow and Trippier hasn’t learned to take responsibility. Walker still blows hot and cold in this regard though at lest he has improved a lot while it’s a really big season ahead fo rRose and if he keeps improving his defensive game he can become a major asset to his team. I like Vertonghen and Alderweirld as a partnership and feel secure with Dier, Walks, and Wimmer among others in attendance for cover.
Also, Harry Kane needs to be better drilled both to play up front by staying as much as possible in position as a center forward and to pass the ball to better placed team mates. Tottenham have suffered from his selfishness too often in this regard. Yes he’s been the main man and goal scorer ‘extraordinaire’ but that doesn’t excuse the fact that he hasn’t contributed what he might have done too often for his team mates who are also working hard to supply him and support him in attack. Every member must work hard and most do all the time. It’s just some are really not suited to play this type of game which requires athleticism relentless effort and real stamina. If Pochettino wants to play this type of game over the season then he must have on the playing field well drilled balance and real attacking qualities in all players across his midfield and up front. He cannot afford anymore to have lack of consistency most particularly with penetration of the opposition’s defenses and so he must have high performance and ability for creativity to expect to have a real chance of success against the best teams over the season.
Players like Kane, Lamela, Wanyama, Dembele, Rose, Janssen and Ali are ideal for his purposes while hopefully N’Koudou can get on board and provide the fast attacking creative threat Tottenham desperately need to spark the system into really productive life. I’m very happy with central defenders including Dier and can only hope Walker and Rose really defend their positions well this coming season. If they do, I’d be inclined to much more optimism. Much too depends on Lloris commanding his goal well.
We definitely should be willing to pay 25 million for Ginter . We need quality rather than quantity . Vertonghen is injury prone and even when he’s fit , what’s wrong with rotating 3 top centre backs . Jansen and Wanyama are excellent cover for their positions , but as a CL team we need to buy players at least as good as the existing ones . What’s the point of replacing Chadli or Son with another 10 million player . If we do buy another attacking mid fielder he should be 18 million minimum .
We are building nicely the reason we finished badly behind arsenal is squad players not good enough simple if we had full strength team there was no way we would have finished like that stupidity from alli and dembelle not gonna moan tho I am glad people are noticing vert ain’t as good as people think or the partnership just don’t work better with wimmer and Toby and people saying bout poch soon be moaning if he left lets get behind a team that done as proud last year
This criticism of Pochy is ridiculous, he is doing a decent job at an average, unambitious side. He got Spurs to 3rd in the perfect storm of a season last year and will probably settle for the top 8 this season as a realistic achievement.
Top 8???? You having a bubble. Ive heard from a good looking source that you are wrong every season about where Spurs will finish. Top 4 or bust!
Despite all this talk of a marquee signing I am yet to hear a decent suggestion of a player Spurs should buy in the areas which need improving. Defensively we had a fantastic record, defensive midfield was only a problem when we had suspensions so Wanyama is more than good enough to add to that. Harry needed back up, that’s been bought. The only thing missing is someone to unlock the door in those matches when other teams shut up shop. I genuinely don’t know who that player could be or if there is one in a category where they’d be willing to come to Spurs.
I love to see a mature midfielder sign, some1 that could come on and steady the game and give experience to our young side!.
MP likes extremely hard working players. I remember when Mason was injured he told him to run it off. The stats the management has for the player will depend on him staying of being sold.