Tottenham Hotspur are exploring the possibility of signing two defenders and a versatile forward in the January window, according to Sky Sports.
Sky Sports understands that the club are willing to spend a “sizeable fee” on a left centre-back, but only if one of the current players leave first. This could only refer to Jan Vertonghen, whose contract expires in the summer.
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I can’t see the Belgian leaving in January, but a decision on his future could be made by then to trigger the pursuit of a replacement. The report names Bournemouth’s Nathan Ake and West Ham United’s Issa Diop as options.
Sky Sports add that we are looking for a new right-back and have earmarked at least £20m for that position. That doesn’t sound a lot but it may only take half of that to find an upgrade on the hapless Serge Aurier.
Napoli’s Elseid Heysaj and Marseille’s Hiroki Sakai are the names that have been touted by Sky Sports, but West Bromwich Albion youngster Nathan Ferguson, linked to us by the Daily Mail, would be my preferred choice.
And we are supposedly on the hunt for “a new versatile attacking player like Heung-Min Son”. Jack Clarke will be assessed having returned from his loan at Leeds United and Gremio’s Everton Soares is allegedly a target.
“Versatile attacking player” – doesn’t that describe Gareth Bale?
Ake, Ferguson and Bale and that would be an unbelievable January.
But I’m not getting my hopes up.
Okay I am, but I’m ready to be disappointed nonetheless.
A mickey mouse trophy that noone cares about as well.. Swansea and birmingham have won that since we have….. 100k for winning it and entry to the gruelling ropey league… Most top half prem teams play their kids in it.
Learn to run the club properly.. Look at city, liverpool, madrid. They nail their targets early and bed them in pre season.. We have ‘levy time’ hope for someone half decent in the bargain bucket on the last day.. Left with the dregs.. Its not how any winning club operates… Levy just doesn’t learn from his mistakes.. A fish rots from the head down.
For sure, a world class one.. And another decent striker, we have to look after kane better.. After all his injuries hes still playing too much.
Whether he can pass like De Bruyne or dribble like Pogba?
What, learn to stop making money? Loss of CL income will be a bitter sweet moment for fans v Enic.
Not if the manager is a winner.
Yes Wolves have been very good this season and have shown more ambition than the stadium construction mob who own us.
All the top clubs (winning clubs) seem to buy a quality or world class player every july/August.. Or two or three players.. They constantly improve and move forward… They also get their business done early giving them time to bed in……. Levy buys a quality player every 3-5 years and gets them in last minute giving the manager and players no time to prepare… When will the man learn.
You left out Wolves, they’re like a more ambitious Tottenham who actually put their money where their mouth is.
Don’t worry Harry knows it, supposedly he let it be known though “friends” that he wasn’t happy, one of the reasons Mourinho was brought in was to convince him to stay. He’s on record as saying as long as the club match his ambitions he’ll stay. If his ambitions are to win things, well it doesn’t take a genius to work out what Harry is going to do Mourinho or no Mourinho. If Levy is serious let him make a down payment in January and buy a quality player to show Harry his good faith. Don’t hold your breath.
We’re in f*”king trouble aren’t we?
Just feel Ferguson could be Sessegnon Mk.2.We need,but won’t get,experience throughout the team by way of replacements.We don’t have time for prospects to finally come good.
If you consider Gazzaniga has let himself down as well as the team,we also need two fullbacks,preferably 2 CBs,holding MF,ballplaying AMF,a wide player who can cross a ball and a stand in for Kane.We also need a deadball specialist badly who takes free kicks and corners.
Apart from that we’re good to go,no investment required.
Number 1 priority should be holding midfielder.
Don’t Chelsea have some sort of buy back on Ake? Not aware of Ferguson but sounds like a bench warmer future prospect and Bale, great as he is, is on about 3x more than our top paid player and injured 30% of the season.
I agree with most of what you have written as it is along the lines of various pieces that I have also contributed. If anything, Man City have fallen behind this season as they did not strengthen enough in the last transfer window. Unfortunately, things will never change whilst Enic own the club. As you say, their metric is ROI and it is as simple as that. Joe Lewis is 83 yrs old and one would think that he must be contemplating selling the club, but he will ask a ludicrous price, rather similar to his protege’s overvaluation when it comes to selling unwanted players. I suspect the timing of a sale will occur once we have become some form of NFL affiliate. One trophy in twenty years under Enic and our beloved chairman sums it all up. Happy New Year!
Unfortunately the areas for improvement noted above only scratch the surface of the problems that the squad face.Lack of any serious investment over many years,has resulted in a squad of disinterested and lazy players which even a manager with Mourinho’s portfolio and man-management skills will fail to improve.
As we are all aware of,ENIC/Levy are only interested in minimum outlay for maximum return.It’s their business model and CL monies far outweigh silverware in their view.Why would the players display any more ambition than the owners?If he doesn’t already know this Kane will certainly come to the realisation this season and depart in the summer.Sadly this will provide only succour to ENIC’s coffers.
The issue is as it has always been and that is this club is owned by a land investment company that has no desire to win at the highest levels in football. They “vision” for the football division as an anchor tenant is to do just enough with the minimum investment to get the best ROI. That means zero net investment in the squad. Player trading and rotating managers to keep up a pretence of aiming for success. LIverpool were way behind us a few seasons ago but their owners seek football success as the financial metric and they invested in the squad with the players they needed for that success. Man CIty have always thrown money at the best players because they to seek that same success as a metric. Chelsea , Arsenal and Man Utd stopped investing in the way they had and subsequently they have all fallen off the pace. That will change I suspect for Chelsea in January as they push on to secure a fourth spot in the CL. Man Utd will throw money at the squad soon as will Arsenal I suspect although their owners appear similar to ENIC in the ROI department. Leicester are the variable but they as a football club exist to win and the players have responded to that . Our players and all the staff know ENIC do not have that desire and that shows in the desire if the players. Jose has come on board and has like Pooch taken the wonga and the spotlight as a trade off for any investment into the squad for real success. I am hoping that maybe the prospect of the club not achieving CL football status next season may prise open ENIC’s wallet and they might roll the dice with Bale to keep the punters onside
Levy is not paying anybody to warm the bench. Who would pay decent money for Aurier, Rose or Vertonghen? Might happen in the summer. One thing for sure as Levy stands twiddling his thumbs, Chelsea, Wolves, Leicester, Arsenal, United, Everton, Liverpool, City will all strengthen.
The most genuine-sounding is that levy has asked Mourinho to assess whether Jack Clarke is the new Heung-Min Son.