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Tottenham transfer update: What’s next after Janssen?

By Rucker Haringey

(L-R) Vincent Janssen of AZ Alkmaar, Rico Strieder of FC Utrecht during the Dutch Eredivisie match between FC Utrecht and AZ Alkmaar at the Galgenwaard Stadium on May 08, 2016 in Utrecht, The Netherlands(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images)
(L-R) Vincent Janssen of AZ Alkmaar, Rico Strieder of FC Utrecht during the Dutch Eredivisie match between FC Utrecht and AZ Alkmaar at the Galgenwaard Stadium on May 08, 2016 in Utrecht, The Netherlands(Photo by VI Images via Getty Images) /
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Tottenham are set to sign Vincent Janssen, but what’s next for Spurs?

Tottenham fans have known all summer that the club would have to add a striker to support Harry Kane before the beginning of next season. Now, with the signing of Vincent Janssen, all but complete, Spurs can turn their transfer attention in a new direction. Where will Mauricio Pochettino look to strengthen next?

It looks as if Spurs first priority moving forward will be adding some additional options in the attacking midfield. While it doesn’t seem as if Tottenham have really made a move for German star Mario Gotze, they do appear legitimately interested in Newcastle’s Georginio Wijnaldum.

Don’t count on Tottenham and Newcastle striking a quick deal for the talented attacker though. It’s reported that the Magpies want 25 million pounds for Wijnaldum. That would provide them an 11 million pound profit in just one year. The odds of Daniel Levy rushing to meet that asking price are akin to Tottenham combining with Arsenal next summer.

Fortunately for Spurs, it’s not as if Wijnaldum is the only attacking midfielder available. In contrast to the striker market, there seem to be fair number of attacking midfielders that are open to move this summer. There just isn’t the same sort of positional scarcity when you’re playing a little further back.

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Don’t be surprised to see Tottenham linked with a huge number of potential attacking targets over the next several weeks. Names like Franco Vazquez could pop back into frame, and you can be sure that lots of player agents will look to plant stories of Spurs interest to drive up their clients’ prices.

That combination will likely lead to a lengthy search for the right attacking midfielder at the right price. Unless Pochettino really communicates to Levy that he sees an absolute star out there on the open market, he’ll leave Levy free to negotiate with multiple targets at once. That will provide Spurs with more bargaining power.

It will be interesting to see how the presence of Champions League football influences the quality of target Spurs are able to interest this summer. That hasn’t been a tool in Levy’s sales pitch for the last several seasons and should give him more cache on the transfer market.

Related Story: Gotze unlikely to choose Tottenham

Spurs fans should settle in for what should be a long summer of transfer rumors and “news.” Now that the striker position is accounted for, the club will be very choosy and deliberate over their next attacking addition. If you don’t like paper talk, the next month or so isn’t going to be good for you.

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