da dobrowin： In an interview with talkSPORT ahead of the new Premier League season, Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has hinted that the club could still bring in “three or four” new players before the transfer window slams shut at the end of the month.
da bwin： Spurs are the only English top flight side yet to make a signing during the course of the summer despite losing right-back Kyle Walker to Manchester City last month.
Having finished second in the table behind champions Chelsea last season, fans of the north London outfit may have expected the club to not only keep hold of their key men – which they have done apart from Walker – but also strengthen a squad that will once again need to compete in the league and in the group stages of the Champions League.
Pochettino has provided those supporters with hope though, telling talkSPORT: “We’re going to strengthen our squad and sign some players who can help us fight – we need new energy in the team.
“We are working hard to deliver that and ensure that by the end we add a few players – maybe three or four, we’ll see.”
Spurs will already have identified their targets and chairman Daniel Levy will now be working hard to bring them to the club.
Here are three players Tottenham could sign before the transfer window closes…
Ross Barkley
According to reports in The Telegraph on Wednesday, Everton may have to sell midfielder Barkley for £25m despite valuing him at £50m at the start of the transfer window.
The Toffees are keen to cash in on the 23-year-old now as he has just a year remaining on his contract and has rejected the new deal that he has been offered, meaning he could leave for free in 2018.
As a result, The Telegraph says that Tottenham are only willing to pay £25m for the England international and it seems more and more likely that their patience will pay off before the end of the month, although the report adds that Premier League rivals Chelsea are hovering too.
Keita Balde Diao
The Mirror reported on Tuesday that Tottenham had reignited their interest in the versatile Lazio forward because they are willing to offload Vincent Janssen following a disappointing first season at the club for the Dutchman.
Like Barkley, Keita Balde has just one year left on his contract and can play in a variety of attacking positions – including either wing and as a centre-forward – and he scored 16 goals in all competitions for the Serie A outfit last season, including eight in his last six matches of the campaign.
The 22-year-old would add some pace, dribbling ability and unpredictability to the Spurs frontline and could prove to be a key player in the Premier League and Champions League if he does link up with Mauricio Pochettino’s men.
Joao Cancelo
Tottenham may have lost first-choice right-back Walker to Manchester City last month, but they are still yet to bring in competition for Kieran Trippier in that position next season – especially as The Telegraph says the former Burnley man looks set to miss the start of the new campaign because of an ankle injury.
While Eric Dier can cover there, Pochettino will be keen to bring in a more natural full-back and The Telegraph suggested on Monday that he could be ready to move for Cancelo.
The Portugal Under-21 international has become a regular fixture in the La Liga outfit’s starting line-up and he made 38 appearances in all competitions last season.
Able to play as a right-back, right midfielder or on the right wing, the 23-year-old certainly has all of the right attributes to fit into the right wing-back role if Pochettino intends to continue with the 3-4-2-1 formation this term.
Do you agree, Spurs fans? Let us know below.