Tottenham’s poor form this season has led former Aston Villa striker and TalkSport pundit Gabriel Agbonlahor to suggest that the club may no longer be an attractive destination for players.
After a promising start to the season, Spurs’ campaign was derailed following the World Cup.
They were knocked out of all competitions. Manager Antonio Conte had a public spat with Richarlison following their Champions League match against AC Milan.
Conte was eventually sacked for his outburst after the draw against Southampton where he questioned his players’ commitment and the owners’ lack of ambition.
In addition, the club faced instability off the pitch with sporting director Fabio Paratici being banned by the Italian football for his involvement in financial fraud during his time at Juventus. The 30-month ban was further extended globally by FIFA last month, which forced him to resign from the club.
Under interim manager Stellini, Tottenham lost all four games, ending their chances of finishing in the top four.
Although Ryan Mason has since been named interim manager and improved their performances, the club is now only fighting for a spot in the Europa League.
With Tottenham set to miss out on Champions League football and the instability at the club, Agbonlahor believes they will have difficulty attracting players.
He also stated that James Maddison would likely choose Newcastle over Spurs in the summer.
Agbonlahor said (via TBR):
“I don’t think players are going to want to come [to Tottenham]. They could be in the Europa League. For instance, for me, Leicester will go down.
Either way, James Maddison is going to leave. Is he going to Newcastle or Spurs? He would go to Newcastle every day of the week.
[They’ve got] Champions League football, they’ve got a project there and are Spurs going to attract the players that they need.”
Losing Maddison to Newcastle would be a significant blow for Tottenham. Maddison is the type of midfielder the club has lacked this season and is someone who could make an immediate impact.
