Mauricio Pochettino keen on Tottenham’s quiet transfer window

Tottenham Hotspur have been particularly quiet, to date, during the summer transfer window. Manager Mauricio Pochettino wouldn’t have it any other way.

In case you haven’t noticed, and most have considering the abundance of posts on the subject found on social media platforms such as Twitter, Tottenham Hotspur have been rather quiet throughout the official first month of the summer transfer window. While just about every rival to the Premier League crown has improved, on paper, from where those clubs sat last May, Spurs have somewhat coasted from England to the United States without making much of a whisper as it pertains to signing potential starters.

In fact, the biggest splash Tottenham have made, as of July 21, was the sale of right back and England international Kyle Walker to league foes Manchester City. We may never know all that occurred between Walker and manager Mauricio Pochettino throughout the 2016-17 campaign leading up to Walker’s exit from Spurs, but it seems both men are more than pleased Walker will be representing the blue portion of Manchester come August.

Is Tottenham’s current perceived transfer policy merely a coincidence? Are Spurs simply victims of what has become an insane transfer market, financially speaking, coupled with the reality there are no attainable assets for Tottenham to pursue this summer? Signing a name just to sign him is often bad business, after all, something Tottenham learned the hard way following the acquisition of Moussa Sissoko last August.

Unsurprisingly to those who actively follow Spurs, the club’s inactivity this summer is apparently all part of the process produced and captained by the previously mentioned Pochettino. The Tottenham boss left little question about that very matter during a lengthy interview given to ESPN FC ahead of the team’s summer friendlies occurring in America:

“We may lack a few players, but we are so calm because I think we have a very good team and the most important thing for us always is the team,” Pochettino explained. He also stated that Tottenham can afford to spend to bolster the squad but that the club has a “different philosophy” than the giants of world football. He also praised his relationship with club chairman Daniel Levy.

Some Tottenham supporters may feel a bit twitchy upon hearing Pochettino explain Spurs need to be “clever” and “creative” in building the team’s squad. Tottenham have money to burn, a deal with the National Football League that is worth more than anybody really knows at the moment and a future world-class stadium that should be the best in the country. Now, theoretically, is the time for Tottenham to take risks in the transfer market.

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Ironically, now also happens to be the time Levy and the rest of the Tottenham board are all-in on a manager. There’s no director of football dictating which big names Spurs must target before August 31 and who should be featured ahead of others because of conversations about market value. There’s no drama regarding wantaway players being held captive against their wishes. Pochettino is more than just the face of Tottenham. He’s running Spurs, and he’ll tell anybody who wants to know just that.

Would Pochettino like to work with a Romelu Lukaku, Alexandre Lacazette or Alvaro Morata? Probably. Who wouldn’t? That doesn’t take away from the fact the current Tottenham squad is built to Pochettino’s liking, something he has repeatedly talked about in interview segments. Spurs are young, heavily English and, in the eyes of the manager, filled with competitions for spots at nearly every position.

Pochettino isn’t using clichéd “coach talk” when he speaks highly on the club’s academy, something ESPN’s John Crace recently touched upon:

"Brandon Austin, Jaden Brown, Jon Dinzeyi, Anthony Georgiou, Will Miller, Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Alfie Boothe aren’t names that will be familiar to many fans. And even though none of them, with the possible exception of Brown — who may fill in for Ben Davies in the continuing absence of Danny Rose — are likely to get a game, the manager’s point is still made. He’s just as interested in developing talent as in bringing in established stars. These academy players are possible first team regulars of the future."

The longer Pochettino remains at Tottenham, the more one gets the feeling he may actually be opposed to Spurs signing a proven star on his watch. He, seemingly, would rather develop his own Dele Alli or his own Harry Kane. He’d rather help Christian Eriksen further evolve as an attacking force. He’d rather watch Harry Winks grow under his tutelage. He’d rather view the returning Erik Lamela as equal to a new signee.

Related Story: Pochettino and Spurs are perfect for each other

“Trust the process” has become a popular mantra among Philadelphia 76ers fans hoping their team is on the cusp of returning to relevance. Spurs supporters would do well to adopt that saying as their own. Tottenham will either succeed or fail while following the path carved by Pochettino, and observers, critics and fans need to get used to that new norm.