An early transfer window closure; full focus on the Premier League campaign. That was meant to be the trade-off, allowing clubs to take care of business without worry of players being affected by an impending departure, even after points were being played for.
The obvious caveat was that overseas teams weren’t following the same plan, so could still snipe a top English club for talent late on without any chance of a replacement—but nobody mentioned swapping anticipation and excitement for the opening day, with stress, worry and panic that a single player hadn’t been signed.
That’s the situation facing Tottenham Hotspur, the last remaining Premier League team without an addition this summer, when every other club have brought in at least two new faces.
In and of itself, not signing anybody new isn’t entirely problematic, but it certainly isn’t going to help Spurs close the gap. Their biggest target looks to have been Anthony Martial, but they’re running out of time to land what could be a defining addition to the squad.
Pochettino’s hopes
“You need to be brave. Being brave is the most important thing and take risks. I think it’s a moment that the club needs to take risks and tries to work, if possible, harder than the previous season to be competitive again, because every season will be more difficult.”
So spoke the Spurs manager back in May, when questions over his future once again surfaced. Presumably, doing nothing was not quite what he had in mind by “take risks,” although it certainly would be one if the north London club got through to their season opener without welcoming a new face.
It’s not that new signings are a basic requirement to win trophies, it’s that teams need to keep progressing, keep getting better. Man City finished 23 points ahead of Tottenham last term; by contrast, fifth-place Chelsea were just seven points behind. How can Pochettino’s side close one gap and maintain another, when both those sides have at least made an attempt to get stronger, be different?
Tottenham already have a very good side, that much is clear. And, at the very least, they have not lost anybody from last season’s squad, including the want-away Toby Alderweireld...yet, at least. They won’t be worse—but others could be better.
Martial, Kane and Spurs’ list of not-good-enoughs
Part of the reason for Tottenham’s hesitancy, no doubt, is a desire to do ‘good business;’ that is, sign players they want at a fee they want, rather than the massively inflated prices which have swarmed the transfer market over the last two years. The problem is, for English clubs at least, those prices are now fixed.
When a third-choice goalkeeper goes for £12 million, a Championship midfielder for £20m and even Watford can sell a Brazilian for £50m with half a good campaign under his belt, why on earth would Spurs be able to sign would-be elite internationals for less? Particularly forwards, particularly from divisional rivals.
Martial is rated, by some, at around the £60-70 million mark. Perhaps United are placing a Premier League-tax on him, and Spurs will have to fork over even more. £80m, maybe.
They should do so.
Finding a replacement, a backup, an alternative to Harry Kane has cost Spurs at least £55 million already, for very little return.
Clinton N’Jie. Georges-Kevin N’Koudou. Vincent Janssen. Fernando Llorente. Four signings in three years to add depth and a goal threat to the front line by doing ‘clever’ business, buying players who could develop for the most part...and who have achieved nothing for the club. Llorente, an experienced direct replacement for Kane when unavailable, was the only departure from that approach—include Lucas Moura if you like, still waiting to really impact after a January switch from PSG—and the Spaniard scored just one league goal last season.
Spurs need someone else, a forward they can rely on, who will be a goal threat with and without Kane. Martial fits the bill, and even with a big price tag, they’ve already wasted nearly the same amount and three entire seasons trying to skirt around the issue they need to solve.
Season
Kane doesn’t score in August: it’s not an aversion to the month itself, nor any kind of mystic, unbreakable spell. It’s simply the type of forward he is: he needs a few games to get going, find his rhythm, reach top sharpness. He’s a big guy, mobile but not all speed and agility, and it’s perfectly reasonable that he takes three or four matches to get into his stride.
That’s not just at the start of the season, but also after his spells out injured, of which there have been a few over the last couple of seasons.
It’s another reason Spurs need a reliable goal threat in his absence. Martial can play left side with Kane in the team, but can lead the line too when the main striker is unavailable, or elsewise rested. It’s clearly the move Spurs need to make, and the player would benefit too.
Martial might cost Spurs £80 million if they sign him this summer, but the cost of not doing so would be precisely one more title challenge consigned to failure.
