Icardi, Wijnaldum, Boufal, N’Koudou and attacking midfielders

TRANSFER TALK

Why are website suggesting Arsenal are in talks with a lethal Spurs target when Mauro Icardi isn't a Spurs target, when will comic sites like Football Transfer Tavern learn? Tottenham two strikers, Kane number one, Janssen number two, a major name number three, yeah right.

They also suggest Liverpool ate going to beat us to 'playmaker' Georginio Wijnaldum (not quite how I would refer to him). They seem to forget that at his price tag we simply aren't interested so to beat a team not interested to a player is hardly an achievement, it's hardly a headline. Of course, those of us who have a bit of common sense just shake our head we we see such nonsense proclaimed.

Then we have the fools at the Daily Express (yes them again) telling us that 'stumped' along with Chelsea and Arsenal by a shock Watford bid for Sofiane Boufal. Why are we all stumped, he isn't going to join Watford when there is Champions League football on offer. That would only happen if all the clubs told him they are not going to sign him. He isn't going to be fit for the start of the season having undergone surgery in May. He has to recover and then start training so he'll be behind everyone else.

Then we have staff writers telling us we are overstocked with attacking midfielders when Georges-Kevin N’Koudou signs, which isn't really the case. The three positions behind the lone striker require plenty of cover and are different roles. We have Clinton Njie, Alex Pritchard and Josh Onomah who are all unproven in the Premier League.

There are central attackers and there are wide attackers, they are different, we can interchange but we also need specialists. Keep swapping players positions isn't going to improve us, it will hinder our development. Proven out wide are Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, Son Heung-min and Nacer Chadli.

After N'Koudou, we can concentrate on a central attacking midfielder. The alternative is to return Eriksen to central midfield to alternate with Dele Alli. We may well be reluctant to let a wide attacker leave until we have resolved the central attacking issue, so I wouldn't be expecting departures just yet.

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