Walking in the shadow of the magnificent, towering new stadium in N17, it’s impossible to escape the feeling that Tottenham are embarking on a seminal moment in their history.
Mauricio Pochettino wants to be backed this summer, pledging his loyalty to the club in light of interest from Real Madrid. To ensure that the Argentine can smash through the glass ceiling his side seem to have hit, Daniel Levy must allow him to operate at the same level as the sides Spurs are trying to overtake.
That is never going to entail the kind of spending seen at the Manchester clubs, but many fans are crying out for a marquee signing, the sort of statement of intent that takes Anthony Martial from a title rival and promises to transform him into a world-class attacking talent.
Indeed, there is still much talk of the Frenchman moving to north London, potentially as part of a deal that would see Toby Alderweireld go the other way.
These are the kinds of big-name players that attract headlines, but there are also developments elsewhere that are perhaps more revealing of Tottenham’s genuine ambitions.
Matthijs De Ligt
The Ajax centre-back doesn’t turn 19 until the first weekend of the new season, but he has already received seven caps for the Netherlands. On paper, he is everything Spurs look for in a young player and Jan Vertonghen, Alderweireld, and Christian Eriksen all came up through the Academy in Amsterdam. The Dutch runners-up also played a crucial role in the development of Davinson Sanchez.
As a number of European clubs continue to circle, however, the Lilywhites appear to have been put off by his price tag. De Ligt could end up costing upwards of £50million, placing him among the most expensive defenders in history. Spurs’ hesitancy is understandable, but it may be an indication that they are not ready to engage in any bidding wars with other top clubs. Newcastle’s Jamaal Lascelles is another defensive option being explored.
Ademola Lookman
The Mirror report that Southampton and Spurs are both watching Lookman, who spent part of last season on loan at RB Leipzig from Everton. That was a move that Sam Allardyce did not endorse, but it saw him score five goals in 11 games. Since his days at Charlton, the 20-year-old has caught the eye and he would be a fresh, welcome addition to an attack that can occasionally run out of ideas. What Levy has to avoid is creating the impression that he is on the hunt solely for promising youngsters, rather than looking at the other end of the spectrum for players who have won it all and can bring that winning mentality into the dressing room.
Marcus Edwards
There is a cautionary tale somewhere in the story of Marcus Edwards, or “mini Messi” as Pochettino unfortunately dubbed him. It is not purely because of his manager’s flattery that so much has been expected of the 19-year-old. His performances for the youth team created a lot of excitement due to his pace and finishing, but there has long been a question mark against his attitude. Things didn’t work out for him during his loan at Norwich – he made just one appearance for the Canaries – but he is now reportedly seeking another move. Spurs have had to weigh up whether they believe his personality can be harnessed and matured and they seem to have come to the conclusion that it can’t just yet. Nevertheless, it means allowing one of the most effervescent talents on the books to get away.
The exodus of Spurs’ stars that is continuously spoken of will not materialise this summer, just as it did not a year ago. Aside from Alderweireld, Mousa Dembele and Danny Rose are the most influential players who could depart. Eriksen’s links with Barcelona may be unnerving, but they are not gathering any pace just now.
Despite it being early days in the transfer window, a picture of Spurs’ strategy is already starting to emerge. It is their favoured approach of tweaking, of fine-tuning what they already have rather than ushering in sweeping changes. It has served them just fine to date, but taking that next step is going to require something bolder.
