The Spurs need to make radical changes if they want to compete for English football’s top prize.
Over the past few years, Tottenham have shown they are capable of competing in the top four of the league. In fact, in the last three seasons, they finished inside the top three and went as high as second in the 2016-17 campaign.
However, while they are at that level where they can be considered heavyweights, winning a trophy still seems to be out of reach. And if there’s one thing we learned about Tottenham in recent years, it is that they are still pretenders rather than contenders.
As the new season nears, SBOBET takes a look at the key players the Spurs need to sign and what else they must to do to elevate them among the few true elite clubs in England.
Key Players to Sign
Of course, the top priority for Tottenham is keeping Harry Kane a Spur for a long time. With Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Real Madrid, there’s a possibility that the La Liga giants could make a move for the England skipper.
Money talks in football, and the Lilywhites might not be able to retain the World Cup 2018 Golden Boot winner if Real Madrid come calling.
Besides Kane, though, the Spurs also need to improve the depth of their squad and add more scoring. Sure, they scored 74 times in the Premier League last season, but 30 of those goals came from Kane who finished second in scoring in the competition.
The Spurs must move on from being a one-man team and create a squad that can contend even when their best player is out.
Anthony Martial and Paulo Dybala are interesting choices for the club should they choose to add more firepower.
Martial—according to recent Premier League news—wants to leave Manchester United, and it could be the perfect chance for Tottenham to pounce on the highly-rated striker.
The 22-year-old is a versatile attacker who mesmerized Red Devil fans with his dribbling skills, wonderful flicks and solid passing. He is not afraid to take on defenders, a quality perfect alongside a player like Kane who can easily draw defenders.
Dybala, on the other hand, is a mercurial talent who can change the flow of the game and even shift the Premier League betting odds for Tottenham. Ronaldo’s move to Juventus opened the door for a possible Dybala exit, and Tottenham should capitalise on the opportunity.
The Argentine, at 24 years old, is already a lethal scorer. He led Juventus with 22 goals last season as the Serie A giants won a seventh straight Scudetto.
At the back, World Cup standout performer Benjamin Pavard is a suitable replacement for Toby Alderweireld who is reportedly seeking a move out of the North London club.
The Frenchman drew the interest of Manchester City as well, thanks to his ability to move to the defensive midfield role. However, Tottenham could offer him the opportunity of playing a more significant role.
Other players that Tottenham should keep an eye on are Barcelona’s Andre Gomes and Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale. They may not be the best choices but both are talented pieces that could work well under the right system.
Change of Mindset
Well, we could talk all day about the players Tottenham should sign to turn them into a trophy-winning club. But that will all be useless if they don’t change their ways of playing it cheap, literally.
Tottenham don’t want to spend! And that’s a recipe for a mediocre and trophy-less team.
Last summer, the Spurs used just £61.4 million, putting them behind the likes of Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Everton and Liverpool in terms of spending. Nonetheless, in a time that the value of players is continuously rising, that won’t cut it.
If the Spurs want to win, they need to invest and fight other clubs in all fronts. Manchester City were the biggest spenders in 2017 with an outlay of £217.3 million, and they were rewarded with the Premier League title.
Winning comes with a price. Tottenham have to accept that fact and pay it.
Managerial shakeup
Aside from backing the club financially, another thing that the Tottenham brass should consider is changing their manager.
There’s no doubt Mauricio Pochettino did a great job with the Spurs, and he can be proud of the work he has done at Tottenham. He has been instrumental in the development of players like Kane, Eric Dier and Dele Alli to name a few.
However, no matter how good he is in developing players, he isn’t a winner. Since taking over the club in 2014, he is yet to win a trophy.
He could argue that the club lacks in financial support, but there are managers in other leagues who have guided their own spendthrift teams to cup trophies.
Zinedine Zidane and Diego Simeone are potential replacements for Pochettino. Zidane is a proven winner and will certainly be eager to prove his managerial abilities with a club like Tottenham where he can be credited for any success.
Simeone, meanwhile, is no longer new to managing a team against bigger-spending rivals. He has a proven track record at Atletico Madrid, having won the La Liga and Copa del Rey titles despite strong competition from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid. Oh, and he has also won a Europa League title!
Pochettino is a very good coach, but being very good is not enough in a results business like football.
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