Tottenham Hotspur surprised everyone with their superlative performances in the 2015-16 season, although an end of season crash saw them lose out to Leicester City and Arsenal and settle for third place.
Argentine hero Mauricio Pochettino has got the fans of the North London club dreaming again with an emphatic season that however came to a disappointing end. The historic Premier League underdogs will be looking to exceed expectations once again in their next campaign.
One pressing need for them will be to capitalize on the summer transfer window and improve the quality and depth of the squad, which will be run thin with their Champions League and Premier League commitments.
Spurs were the only Premier League club to net a transfer profit last summer, there’s no pressure on Pochettino to curb spending. Tottenham already have the bases filled up with young, hungry, talented players in key positions, the best box-to-box midfielder in the top 5 leagues in Moussa Dembele and a goalkeeper par excellence in French captain Hugo Lloris.
However they still aren’t world beaters yet, and this summer transfer window presents the perfect opportunity for Mauricio Pochettino to build a team capable of vying for domestic and European honours next season. Here are three players who could help them do just that and would well be within the range of low-spending Spurs.
1. Vincent Janssen
One major criticism of Tottenham this past season has been their lack of a proper back-up striker to Harry Kane. While the indefatigable Kane managed to pull through and start all 38 of their Premier League encounters, Spurs will need someone to ease the burden off of him. The signing of South Korean striker Son Heung-Min turned out to be a flop, and now it seems like Spurs have already identified a forward who could do what Son could not.
21 year old Dutch striker Vincent Janssen had a break-out season with AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie this past season, and has also impressed on the international stage against the likes of England, Poland and Austria. He scored 27 goals in 34 games for AZ, and has been on the watchlist of Manchester United, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal.
This is one deal that Spurs have reportedly wrapped up already, and at just £12 million, it could end up being the bargain of the summer.
2. Hulk
While Spurs have a range of talent in attacking midfield, their options are limited should the trio of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Erik Lamela hit a rough patch of form or fitness. In that respect strengthening the midfield is also a priority for the club and one of the most astute signings for them could be a player they have been strongly linked with in the past, the Brazilian winger named Hulk.
The Zenit St. Petersburg man has notched up 23 goals and 20 assists for his club and is equally capable of playing on the left and the right wing. The 29-year-old would also bring in some experience and leadership to a raw and young side. The Brazilian probably would have to fight for his first team place, but the allure of the Premier League and Champions League football next season could tempt the Brazilian to make the switch.
Hulk is rated at £25 million by transfermarkt and would be a good acquisition for that price.
3. Saul Niguez
Another area that would need some strengthening is central midfield, where the pair of Moussa Dembele and Eric Dier hold the fort with no significant competitors. Spurs have already expressed an interest in a player who provided one of the most breathtaking Champions League moments last season.
Atletico Madrid’s Saul Niguez scored an eye-catching solo goal as they beat Bayern Munich in the semi-finals. The 21-year-old has emerged as a brilliant central midfielder for Los Rojiblancos this past season, and is now one of the most highly rated young talents around. Tottenham are willing to break the bank and make him their highest paid player in a bid to bring Saul to the Premier League, according to the Mirror.
His current contract at Atletico is believed to contain a release clause of £36 million, a price which Spurs would be more than willing to meet. The challenge would be to entice him away from his boyhood club though but the big money on offer, a salary near the £200,000 per week mark, could well sway the young player’s loyalties.
