Tottenham finished outside of the top four in the Premier League for the first time in five seasons and undoubtedly the main aim for 2020-21 will be to seal a Champions League return.
Although Spurs have amassed the fourth-highest number of points in the Premier League since Jose Mourinho‘s appointment in November, it is clear that there are areas of the squad that require strengthening.
Daniel Levy’s track record in the transfer market, his comments that Covid-19 posed the most serious threat to the club during his 20 years at the helm and Spurs’ failure to qualify for the Champions League, suggests that big-money arrivals are unlikely.
Mourinho has acknowledged as much publicly too, saying: “Are we going to buy 10 players? No. Are we going to buy players for £100m? No. We are going to improve.”
Here are the positions he is likely to prioritise in the transfer window and the potential players who could come in.
What Mourinho has said
“Small changes, a big overhaul needs a lot of money involved,” was Mourinho’s response when quizzed about Tottenham’s plans this summer. “I don’t think there are many clubs ready to buy, buy, buy – the ones that are going to do is because they can do it with or without financial fair play. If they do it, it’s because they feel they can do it, we know what we can do and what is not possible to do.
“We don’t want to sell our important players and that immediately is a limitation because by not selling big players, you don’t have also big incomings so we are going to be very balanced but again the objective is to improve the squad and that I’m totally convinced we’re going to manage.”
The main targets
Tottenham’s record of 47 goals conceded in the Premier League is very un-Mourinho like and he will be eager to tighten his team up next season.
The Club can confirm the departures of @JanVertonghen and @Vorm_Official following the conclusion of their contracts.
From everyone at Spurs, thank you Jan and Michel. #THFC
#COYS
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 27, 2020
Since the restart, Mourinho has relied upon Toby Alderweireld, Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier in the middle of defence but with Jan Vertonghen leaving, a new centre back may be signed.
Spurs are short of depth at full-back with Serge Aurier and Ben Davies’ positions uncontested, while a holding midfielder and backup striker to Harry Kane is also on Mourinho’s wishlist.
Spurs are locked in a battle with Everton to sign Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg from Southampton with the Dane reportedly favouring a move to London over Merseyside.
Although Spurs possess a number of central midfielders already, Hojbjerg would add bite, organisation and positional discipline to the squad. Southampton are unlikely to waver from their £25m valuation of him, however, despite the fact he is entering the final year of his contract.
Elsewhere, reports surfaced over the weekend linking Spurs to Bournemouth forward Callum Wilson who is unlikely to stick around in the Championship ahead of the European Championship’s next summer.
Another relegated player Spurs could target is Norwich City’s Max Aarons, particularly if Kyle Walker-Peters seals a permanent to Southampton after an impressive loan spell on the south coast.
Dier’s form at centre-back and Japhet Tanganga’s decision to commit his long-term future to the club may have saved Spurs from a transfer splurge on a central defender if Mourinho believes he has enough cover there.
Assuming Spurs can hang on to the likes of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min, it seems likely that it will be a case of evolution rather than revolution at the club during Mourinho’s first summer transfer window in charge.
How Tottenham could line up in 2020-21
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/2ElbXhy
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