Tottenham Hotspur have been known to let at least one big player leave the club each summer in recent years.
Bale, Berbatov and Modric are just three players who have opted to leave the club in recent times for a bigger move (notice how Sol Campbell wasn’t mentioned). But, with Lloris’ injury, and Hurri-Kane’s desire to stay at the club, this could be a summer where the north London side actually keep hold of their best players.
They certainly have great foundations to build on. Nacer Chadli pushed on last season, and contributed with 13 goals after his sorry first season at the club. That’s before we even think about Kane, who went beyond all expectations last year with his 21 league goals.
Add to that players like Lloris, Vertonghen and Eriksen, and you can see how Spurs fans think they have the ability to add to that and push on, and maybe even reach the top 4 four – something which they haven’t done since that Peter Crouch header at the Etihad Stadium earned them their place in 2010.
And, with Townsend, Soldado, and Adebayor all being heavily linked with moves away from the club, Spurs look set to have to invest in a winger, and at least one more centre forward, so here are five players they should consider.
Fernando Llorente
Granted, it’d be a tall order bring Llorente to White Hart Lane – and that’s not just because he’s 6 foot 3 – but they could certainly do with showing ambition after letting the trio mentioned earlier, among others, leave for bigger clubs.
Reports suggest that Llorente is also generating interest from some of Europe’s elite, after playing a key role in Juventus’ successful side last year. Even Real Madrid have been linked with the forward. But at the age of 30, the Spaniard might be persuaded to join the Premier League as it may be one of his last opportunities to do so, and the lucrative wages may be the tempter.
Despite only scoring 9 goals last season, he did feature 40 times, which suggests he’s doing something right. He’d certainly be a great option to pair up with Harry Kane after already showing how well he can link up with the very similar, but slightly better, Alvaro Morata.
Michy Batshuayi
The 21 year-old Belgian would cost a fraction of what Benteke cost Liverpool, as Spurs look to fire a £9 million bid to Marseille. The highly-rated striker scored 10 goals in all competitions last time out and is already on fire this pre-season.
He earned his move to Marseille after impressing as a teenager at Standard Liege, where he scored 40 goals in little over 100 appearances for the Belgian side. He scored his first senior goal in a Europa League fixture against FC Copenhagen as an 18 year old in the 2011/12 season, which impressive by anyone’s standards.
The quick forward would be a good acquisition to Spurs’ frontline, and will provide them something different to what they had with Soldado and Adebayor. He would be the fifth Belgian in Tottenham’s squad should he sign, and we all know how much it helps a player to have friends in the dressing room – not to mention an easier transition without a huge language barrier.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOaoosJqsNE
Victor Moses
His Chelsea career has never really kicked off, has it? Let’s face it, he’s on his way out of there. After loan spells at Liverpool, then Stoke, the former Palace youngster would give them options going forward should Adebayor, Soldado and Townsend leave the club.
The 25 year-old impressed at Stoke last season, and looks like he could push on this term, should he get plenty of game time. The reported cost would be £8 million, and quite how the Blues manage to get such fees for players who have flopped at Stamford Bridge remains to be seen, but they do.
He can provide width for Spurs, as well as being able to play just behind the front man, but after failing to even impress at Liverpool on loan, you have to wonder if he’s the man they want to help them break into the top four.
APAndriy Yarmolenko
The Ukrainian forward is gaining serious interest from the Premier League, with Liverpool and Stoke also set to throw an offer in for the Dynamo Kiev man.
After hitting 68 goals in 172 appearances for Kiev, he has rightly been linked with a host of sides and is ready to move on, having won plenty of trophies in his time there.
The 6 foot 1 striker is also attracting interest from PSG and Roma, so if Spurs want any deal to happen, they should act sooner rather than later.
Javier Hernandez
‘Chicharito’ is of course a Manchester United player – but Spurs could snap him up for a bargain at just £7.5 million, after Real Madrid turned down the opportunity to buy him permanently after his loan spell there last season – despite him saving their blushes in Europe.
After also being linked during AVB’s ‘era’ at White Hart Lane, now would be the perfect time for Spurs to launch a bid for the 27 year-old Mexican. He seems to be surplus to requirements at Old Trafford, and wants to stay in the Premier League – and is a proven goalscorer.
It’d be a strange one for United to let happen after the player netted 36 goals in 49 starts for the club, but it looks like going ahead, with a rumoured £100,000 contract said to be on the table. It would be a fine signing for the north London side, and at such a small price as well.
