The fact that there’s some transfer activity to talk about at all at Tottenham is already a refreshing change. This is after all the club who for two straight transfer windows didn’t sign anyone at all and for the same two windows, only released or sold fringe players.
But it’s been a very different story this summer. They’ve already broken their transfer record for a player coming in, have seen an important player over the last few years go out and there may be more business on its way.
Players out
Trippier Gone
A big season was expected of him after excellent displays at the 2018 World Cup but it didn’t turn out that way with the former Burnley man often criticised for poor defensive displays and not even putting in particularly good performances going forward. He’s been sold to Atletico Madrid for £20,000,000.
Rose on his way?
Another English full-back who might be moving to a big European club. Danny Rose played well enough last season but some of his comments in the media haven’t gone down particularly well with the club and they might just decide that with two years left on his contract, now is the time to cash-in on him rather than risk losing him on a free. PSG seem pretty keen, the transfer fee shouldn’t be a problem and Rose may fancy the new challenge himself.
Surely not Eriksen
Christian Eriksen has been at the heart of everything that’s been good about Tottenham under Mauricio Pochettino over the past few seasons, most notably their run to the Champions League final last year.
So, Spurs fans will be wondering how the Spurs hierarchy have allowed this to happen: he’s got just one year left on his contract. Admittedly interest from the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona has cooled off just a little over the past few weeks but that’s not to say that’s the end of it. A big bid for a player who can leave on a free next season might even be the most painless solution for Tottenham, anyway. Take the money, replace him, move on. Though the second part of that plan is easier said than done.
The ideal scenario for Spurs would be for Eriksen to sign a new deal, leaving the club with the option of demanding a mammoth fee for him in the future or just keeping a player who the fans love and who is tried and trusted by the manager. The ball is in Eriksen’s court.
Players in
Tanguy Ndombele
The French international is Spurs’ record signing, costing a cool £54m from Lyon. Able to operate anywhere across the midfield, his power and passing make him a certain starter next season in what has been a bit of a problem area for Spurs over the past few years. With his characteristics, he should find the transition to Premier League football pretty seamless.
Jack Clarke
Bought by Spurs for £8.5m and instantly loaned back to the club he came from…Leeds United. The 18-year-old forward, who can also play as a winger, has no shortage of talent. But Spurs fans will have to wait till they see him in action.
Lo Celso next?
The highly-rated Argentine midfielder has only been a Betis player for a year; the Spanish club decided to sign him on a permanent deal after initially arriving on loan from PSG.
It seems that once Betis’ valuation of the player is met, it might be up to Giovani Lo Celso himself to decide where his future lies.
A Good Window for Spurs?
Hard to say. Ndombele was just the sort of player they needed and is an excellent addition, though Clarke is one for the future rather than the present.
Trippier and Rose (assuming he leaves) ceased to be as important as in previous campaigns and they have decent cover for the pair of them anyway. The fee they got for Trippier was a good one and with Rose likely to go for a similar amount, that’s some useful money coming into the Spurs coffers.
Whether the window is deemed a success will probably ultimately come down to what happens with Eriksen.
As for Spurs’ objectives, they may have to see this as a season of transition with a Top Four finish in the league, a quarter-final place in the Champions League and a good domestic Cup run as about par for the course.
