It was two seasons ago when Gareth Bale left Tottenham Hotspur to join Real Madrid for a record £86 million. Since then, Spurs have had three managers and spent over £100 million on new signings. Despite spending this amount of money to revamp the team, they are not any closer to the Champions League places. Once again this season, their aim will be aiming to qualify for the Champions League.
More from Premier League
- Manchester City suffer but come away with win over West Ham
- Premier League match preview: Aston Villa v Crystal Palace
- Jadon Sancho refutes Erik Ten Hag’s comments
- Arsenal win in added time drama as United suffer last-minute agony
- Rudderless Chelsea lose to Nottingham Forest
Last season we saw the emergence of striker Harry Kane. After four loan spells, he finally showed the quality Spurs have needed upfront. Since Gareth Bale left for Real Madrid, Tottenham have struggled for goals. They spent £26 million on Roberto Soldado, but he hasn’t lived up to the price-tag. However, now they have a talented young English striker – Harry Kane. He became the first Tottenham player to score 30 goals in a single season since Gary Lineker in 1991-92.
There is no doubt they now are going in the right direction. Two seasons ago, Andre Villas Boas invested the Bale money into the team – but not correctly. Most of his purchases have been flops, except Christian Eriksen. Playing in the number 10 role, Eriksen developed a good understanding with Kane, which was one of the positive outcomes from last season.
This season, Tottenham will again be aiming for the Champions League places. Mauricio Pochettino will need to invest in his team if he wants to get into the top 4. Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been linked with a move away, but Spurs will need to hang on to their number 1 if they want to achieve their aim. So far Spurs haven’t made any big-name signings, unlike their top 4 rivals, which will be a concern for Tottenham Chairman Daniel Levy.
The priority is to find the sort of young, flexible players who fit in with manager Mauricio Pochettino’s trademark high-intensity, pressing game. Too often last season it looked like Spurs were struggling to implement his style. Pochettino also needs a goalscorer to support Harry Kane and sell Emmanuel Adebayor. He has outlived his usefulness at White Hart Lane.
Spurs have sold defender Younes Kaboul and midfielder Paulinho which will free up space on their wage bill for better signings. Spurs’ only signing for far this summer has been Toby Alderweireld. The Belgian defender had a very good season on loan at Southampton and looks to be a good signing with much-needed Premier League experience. Spurs also need another defender to partner Vertonghen. Ryan Mason had a good season and is a young player with a bright future. However I believe Spurs need an experienced central midfielder to help them push for Champions League qualification.
Andros Townsend didn’t feature in Pochettino’s first team too many times last season and has been linked with a move away from White Hart Lane. Spurs need a skill-full winger to come in an help provide service for Harry Kane who fits in with their high-intensity style of play to improve their chances of qualifying for the Champions League.
It’s been five years since Tottenham last played in the Champions League, and Spurs fans will be desperate to see their team play against the best in Europe once again. Pochettino will need to bring in several quality players, especially since the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City have already improved their squads. Will they get into the Champions League, it remains to be seen, but to achieve their aim, Pochettino will need to build his team around Harry Kane.