Tottenham Hotspur enters the new season facing significant challenges as the club’s current squad struggles to meet Champions League standards. After a storybook ending to last season, where they won the Europa League crown, expectations have turned drastically. Club chairman Daniel Levy has insisted that keeping the club competitive in such a cutthroat league is paramount. He reiterated that Spurs can no longer afford to sacrifice their league form.
Coming into the season, a host of injuries and roster restrictions sparked fear among fans of the club about the depth and overall talent of the squad. So, with all the key players out of commission, the need for reinforcements is greater than ever.
Squad Limitations and Injuries
As the last few seasons have proved, Tottenham’s current squad is not close to being deep enough, especially in the backline. Together with Cristian Romero, they are considered to be the club’s two biggest gems. Beyond these four key defenders, only Kevin Danso and Ben Davies are left as reserve options for centre halves. It becomes even more complicated given that Radu Dragusin is out long-term. He will likely miss most if not all of the upcoming season due to an ACL injury.
Beyond the struggles on the back end, the attack front is an equally dire picture. An injury to Dejan Kulusevski is expected to keep him out through mid to late October. Dominic Solanke has pretty much missed all of pre-season with injury, lessening his impact from the first whistle in the coming games. Furthermore, James Maddison’s pre-season injury has hampered the start of head coach Thomas Frank’s tenure in north London. With Maddison still recovering, the departures of Heung-Min Son and Maddison himself have left an attacking void.
Need for New Signings
With the injuries and lack of squad depth, Tottenham Hotspur are in a position of being desperate for new signings. Chairman Daniel Levy has gone out of his way to suggest that Thomas Frank shouldn’t get too comfortable. Surely he’ll need to strengthen the squad, and even more with Maddison currently injured. The club needs at least two more attacking players to start covering these gaps and make MUFC more competitive in the Premier League overall.
According to reports, Tottenham have contacted Manchester City over signing Savinho permanently. He arrived at City only last summer from their sister club, Troyes. The pursuit of Savinho is an indication of Tottenham’s long-term plan to enhance their attacking resources. The pressure is growing on the club. They need to string this deal out and figure out a way to play their way through this growing injury bug.
Expectations Moving Forward
Tottenham Hotspur had an exceptional season last year, winning the Europa League championship. Yet, the team’s present circumstances has plenty asking whether they’ll be able to reach that high bar of success again. Even Daniel Levy, the notoriously frugal chairman, stressed the overdue desperation to win the Premier League. He’s not asking for much despite the sudden change in fortunes.
With a hectic fixture schedule looming, Spurs needs to sort out its thin squad before it all comes crashing down. A combination of injuries and a convalescent bench may be fatal if not corrected ASAP. Private club’s ownership and leadership are acutely aware that they need to exceed expectations. If they don’t, their plans and policy choices will be held to far greater accountability.
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