Tottenham enjoyed a superb 2016-17 season. Mauricio Pochettino’s men pushed Chelsea all the way in the Premier League, eventually finishing second to Antonio Conte’s irrepressible Blues.
However, the old adage goes that teams must recruit from a position of strength, and Mauricio Pochettino’s side are gearing up for a busy summer as they prepare to move into Wembley Stadium from the start of next season.
Below Goal looks at where Spurs will look to strengthen…
GOALKEEPERS
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Hugo Lloris remains the undisputed No.1 at Spurs, but Mauricio Pochettino also boasts the luxury of having one of the best back-up stoppers in the league in Michel Vorm.
The Dutchman is a capable shot-stopper and has excellent distribution, and the pair are likely to remain at the club for the foreseeable future. Pau Lopez was brought in from Espanyol on loan to provide cover last season, and reports suggest that the club are now working on a deal to secure him permanently.
DEFENDERS
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The ongoing saga surrounding Kyle Walker is likely to dominate headlines this summer, but Spurs will be keen to have it resolved swiftly. The England international has been heavily linked with a £40 million move to Manchester City, and it has been suggested that a deal could be completed this month.
Mauricio Pochettino, despite his trust in newly-capped England international Kieran Trippier, will thus have to sign a replacement, and Porto’s Ricardo Pereira is a mooted target, along with Hoffenheim’s Jeremy Toljan.
Elsewhere, Spurs hold an interest in Fulham’s young left-back Ryan Sessegnon, and are scouting central defenders, including Joel Veltman, of Ajax, and Borussia Dortmund’s Matthias Ginter. Kevin Wimmer is understood to be up for sale.
MIDFIELDERS
Spurs’ midfield is perhaps their strongest asset, with the likes of Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen emerging as truly elite players over the past two seasons. While Eriksen has continuously flirted with Barcelona, no move is likely this summer, while it would take a world-record fee to prise Alli out of the hands of Pochettino and Daniel Levy.
Moussa Sissoko, however, is on the transfer list, having roundly failed to live up to his astonishing £30m price tag in a disastrous season. Marseille are reportedly at the forefront of the queue to sign him.
Eric Dier, too, is the subject of interest, though Spurs would prefer to keep hold of the England star, who has become a fine defensive midfielder under the tutelage of Pochettino. Manchester United, though, are thought to admire the player and could test Spurs’ resolve with a bid worth around £30m.
For their part, Spurs have been monitoring Everton’s Ross Barkley closely, but the Toffees have placed a £50m valuation on 23-year-old to ward off any potential suitors. Reports have suggested, however, that Spurs are willing to play a waiting game in the hope that the price will soon drop.
FORWARDS
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Harry Kane is perhaps the finest striker Spurs have boasted since the start of the Premier League era, and has won the Golden Boot in each of the past two seasons.
However, Spurs have struggled to find adequate support for the newly-appointed England captain. Heung-Min Son scored 21 goals in all competitions to supplement Kane’s output – he scored 29 – while Dele Alli netted 18. Vincent Janssen, the only other out-and-out striker in the squad, managed only two strikes in 27 appearances.
As such, it is unlikely that Spurs would reject any bids for Janssen this summer, and he has claimed he is “open” to a departure.
Were he to leave a replacement would need to be signed, but it seems as though Pochettino is more focused on reinforcing his defence and midfield in the opening weeks of the transfer window.
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