Levy’s Transfer Market Sweep
As this mind-boggling—to steal a phrase from Roy Keane—transfer window draws to its inevitable silly conclusion tomorrow, Spurs fans are once again left questioning whether anyone has the slightest clue what they’re doing.
You’ve got to assume there’s a carefully laid out strategy in place, but sometimes it feels like Daniel Levy and the team are editing and adjusting as they go.
Once again Spurs are going to the wire.
If history is any indicator then we should be worried. This time last year, having attempted to address some of the squad’s obvious deficiencies earlier in the window (back up for Harry Kane, a pacey wideman and some extra brawn in midfield) Tottenham went into the final day seemingly content with their lot.
In a catastrophic episode of anti-brinkmanship, however, during which Levy managed to extract minimum reward for the maximum outlay, Tottenham panic bought Moussa Sissoko for £30m in the last hour of the window.
That is not the actions of a chairman with a plan.
A case for the defence
Of course, it’s difficult to assess the motives of the club when there’re so many conflicting reports. Hundreds of players have been linked with moves to North London over the summer. So it’s tough to get a handle on what’s legitimate interest and what’s tabloid fluff.
That said, Spurs recruitment looks a bit lopsided to my eye. That’s not to say Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth and Serge Aurier aren’t necessary purchases; with Kyle Walker and Kevin Wimmer leaving these are positions that needed filling. But what about other problem areas? Competent understudies for Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen; someone with a modicum of pace, perhaps? I know wingers aren’t exactly en vogue these days, but hey, it’s nice to have some options.
Barkley, Baldé and a Belgian
What’s likely to unfold in the next few hours, then? Maybe not as much as we’d hoped. Lazio’s Keita Baldé Diao seemed like a sensible purchase—the Rome club had supposedly even accepted an offer. But that dream will have to stay in the pipe for now. The Senegalese forward jetted off to Monaco to join Leonardo Jardim at the Stade Louis II yesterday.
Ross Barkley has all the makings of a fine Pochettino signing. A young but imperfect gemstone for the Argentine to cut in his own image. Now Chelsea are circling with muscular intent and have already had a £25m bid turned down. I’m not privy to the exact financial workings of the West London club but I’m quite certain they can go higher.
Yesterday, news of Divock Origi. Tottenham is a possibility, according to his father. It’s a wildcard. The Belgian would undoubtedly get more game time at Spurs; Liverpool are already overloaded in attack, even before their attempts to sign Thomas Lemar. Whether Jurgen Klopp would be keen on strengthening a direct rival is another matter.
Fernando Llorente on the other hand…
