"Which Premier League club didn't spend anything during the summer 2018 transfer window?"
In years to come, this will be a trivia question but at the moment it seems to be a stick which - perhaps unfairly - is being used to batter Tottenham Hotspur.
Mauricio Pochettino ended last season seemingly hopeful of retaining the bulk of his squad but also keen to bring in some new box office players to light up the club's new stadium.
Spurs fans were delighted when Pochettino signed a new contract, especially as his decision came just a few days before Real Madrid lost Zinedine Zidane. There were also new contracts for the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Hugo Lloris.
Their primary target was Aston Villa's Jack Grealish but he made it clear he was staying in Birmingham yet the Spurs manager is trying to put a positive spin on things.
“What the club is doing is showing that it is so brave because building a new training ground, finishing the (player) lodge this summer is a massive investment. Building a stadium that costs nearly £1billion – that’s is the truth, don’t believe when they say £400million. Then with Brexit it’s worse because the cost is 30 per cent more. That is a drama, I feel sorry for the English people.
“Then to keep the best players is to be brave. In the mind of everyone maybe they say ‘Tottenham didn’t sign (players)’, but it’s better the keep your best players.”
“We are a club that our decision was not to sign, though it is the fashion to sign or because we are the only club in Europe that has not signed players.
“That maybe looks bad because of the perception and because of the history of football, but that is our decision; to keep the best players and to keep the squad. It’s a brave decision.
“I don’t feel the panic. You need to be clever in how you settle your principles, your strategy and to try to win. Of course, we are open to improving but if you can’t improve the most important is to keep your best team and players. Maybe we have different principles.
“It was a strange transfer market because I think until England was out (of the World Cup) no-one was moving. It was relaxed and calm. Then also with Europe having more time until the first of September to do deals, it was all so quiet. It was difficult for everyone, for us included.”
