Tottenham Transfer Talk
Tottenham Transfer Talk
It's about time I wrote something for your amusement.
No point wasting money on players Mourinho isn't going to play.
We have bought 5 players in 2 windows (one season).
I still read in forums fans who simply don't understand an owner can not buy players or pay their wages, FFP has put a stop to that. You get thrown out of Europe if you do.
We had reached an agreement with AC Milan over Krzysztof Piątek, a loan with a purchase option in the summer. It was AC Milan who held up the deal and would not release the player until the end of the window while they waited to see if anyone would buy him now as they preferred.
Hertha Berlin came in with the full amount EUR 27m so the funds can go into this year's accounts to help balance the books instead of next years as we wanted.
Daniel Levy offered Piątek to Mourinho who didn't think he was worth the money being asked, hence us trying to get him on loan, not an outright purchase. It is not Daniel Levy's fault, therefore, that we do not have an out and out striker, yet he is the one getting the stick because fans don't know any better.
It also demonstrates that journalists do not have the contacts within a club they used to have, the Internet is now their contact, Sky Sources for instance simply means we read it on the Internet.
Tottenham wants control over players, thus if we bring a player in on loan, we want an option to buy them, not an obligation.
If we accept an obligation to buy, then we want it to be if a player plays a certain amount of games. Then Spurs can control how many games the player plays and therefore, whether the obligation to buy kicks in or not before the loan period is over.
Even with an obligation to buy, we still want to be able to send the player back if he doesn't play enough games which is a way of guaranteeing we don't buy duds. Obviously, a selling club doesn't want to loan a player ideally, they want them permanently off the books with no chance of returning.
It all rather makes negotiating even a loan complex.
Fans are suggesting Levy hasn't backed Mourinho which is nonsense, Mourinho has turned down players. Jarred Bowen being another one. We signed Steve Bergwijn instead, a far more experienced player, but still young.
Daniel Levy offered Piątek to Mourinho who didn't think he was worth the money being asked, hence us trying to get him on loan, not an outright purchase. It is not Daniel Levy's fault, therefore, that we do not have an out and out striker, yet he is the one getting the stick because fans don't know any better.
It also demonstrates that journalists do not have the contacts within a club they used to have, the Internet is now their contact, Sky Sources for instance simply means we read it on the Internet.
Tottenham wants control over players, thus if we bring a player in on loan, we want an option to buy them, not an obligation.
If we accept an obligation to buy, then we want it to be if a player plays a certain amount of games. Then Spurs can control how many games the player plays and therefore, whether the obligation to buy kicks in or not before the loan period is over.
Even with an obligation to buy, we still want to be able to send the player back if he doesn't play enough games which is a way of guaranteeing we don't buy duds. Obviously, a selling club doesn't want to loan a player ideally, they want them permanently off the books with no chance of returning.
It all rather makes negotiating even a loan complex.
Fans are suggesting Levy hasn't backed Mourinho which is nonsense, Mourinho has turned down players. Jarred Bowen being another one. We signed Steve Bergwijn instead, a far more experienced player, but still young.
Late in the window, we had lined up and Jose Mourinho had expected Oliver Giroud to arrive. The Frenchman would have given us the temporary striker we were looking for, but his move to Inter fell through when they agreed to pay our fee for Eriksen.
Chelsea couldn't get a replacement so refused to let him leave despite accepting our bid for him. Giroud wanted football to enhance his chances of getting into the French Euro 2020 squad,
We couldn't agree a loan deal to our satisfaction with Real Sociedad, even though we had agreed terms with the player and he was all ready to fly over. Again, he wasn't a player we wanted to end up with having had indications our summer striker target is keen to come to Spurs.
January is an expensive time to buy a player and we were no going to overpay for a short term fix. As I wrote before the window opened (whole article devoted to it), Spurs were not going to panic-buy a striker.
We must also be aware that we have Troy Parrott coming through, who isn't ready yet, but his progress can't be halted by another striker limiting his opportunities so any striker we sign must be happy sitting on a bench or can play different positions.
We also have Kion Etete coming through, who again is rated.
Jose Mourinho has spent time looking at the youngsters and discussing the future with some of them, like 18-year-old (19 in November) Etete. He is another who will gain experience training with the first team.
Chelsea couldn't get a replacement so refused to let him leave despite accepting our bid for him. Giroud wanted football to enhance his chances of getting into the French Euro 2020 squad,
We couldn't agree a loan deal to our satisfaction with Real Sociedad, even though we had agreed terms with the player and he was all ready to fly over. Again, he wasn't a player we wanted to end up with having had indications our summer striker target is keen to come to Spurs.
January is an expensive time to buy a player and we were no going to overpay for a short term fix. As I wrote before the window opened (whole article devoted to it), Spurs were not going to panic-buy a striker.
We must also be aware that we have Troy Parrott coming through, who isn't ready yet, but his progress can't be halted by another striker limiting his opportunities so any striker we sign must be happy sitting on a bench or can play different positions.
We also have Kion Etete coming through, who again is rated.
Jose Mourinho has spent time looking at the youngsters and discussing the future with some of them, like 18-year-old (19 in November) Etete. He is another who will gain experience training with the first team.
That ain't gonna be no superstar.
You all saw against Man City that after a week's intensive training with Jose that they were starting to get the hang of his ideas and play in the way he wants.
Chelsea were a side that soaked up the pressure and when a side made a mistake they penalised them, they did it to us many times.
That is what Mourinho is trying to create at Spurs, yes, if quick passing attractive football can be incorporated in that then so much the better, but the solidity in defence, the shape has to be put in place first.
Any side goes through a transition period when a new manager comes in and changes the style. It takes a season for players to get used to it. Klopp and Rodgers had the same at Liverpool, Rodgers at Leicester City too.
While we learn his system or rather learn to implement his system to a high standard, we are trying to finish in the UEFA Champions League places. On that front, we have a game against Chelsea that will be a must-win game on 22nd February.
We will need to learn to be more clinical and pass better around the box when so often we play a lazy pass to destroy a promising attack.
Jose Mourinho wants to play a different style to Mauricio Pochettino and therefore requires a different makeup of player to Pochettino.
Serge Bender, for instance, was a player we had watched before.
He was offered to Mourinho, indeed his agent contacted Spurs but Mourinho turned the opportunity down. He didn't fit the profile of player he is looking for.
As previously mentioned, we have negotiated with QPR to bring 21-year-old (22 in June) attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze to Spurs.
We are very keen on 21-year-old (22 in December) Victor Osimhen from Lille. Our discussions with the Nigerian international (6 caps, 4 goals, 2 assists) are part of the reason we didn't panic buy in January.
Osimhen has scored 15 goals in 31 games with a further 5 assists. He likes what he sees at Spurs and the role mapped out for his future. Very early days but, at the moment, he is keen on the Spurs project under Mourinho.
Also at Lille, 20-year-old (21 later this month) Boubakary Soumaré is a defensive or central midfielder we are again very keen on and have spoken to. The signs are encouraging for him too but a lot can change in a short while in football.
Clearly, we are going to continue to scout these two until the end of the season and be talking with them through their agents.
Left-back is going to be a very interesting position.
We are not going to play Danny Rose, he is on loan at Newcastle and we hope he stays there. Should he return he will again not figure while all he wants to do is run down his contract and play within himself.
He will be sold in the summer as will Kyle Walker-Peters who simply isn't good enough. A decision is yet to be made over Jan Foyth. The talent is there but there are too many mistakes, which is a mentality issue.
Moussa Sissoko is likely to be sold even though he was a regular starter for Jose. He will always be a bull in a china shop player and we are looking for players just as strong, but with greater technical ability.
I said at the beginning of summer that Jan Vertonghen would return to Ajax to finish his career and he still hasn't signed a contract extension. His performances have dropped and now he is a bench warmer.
Ryan Sessegnon is not a left-back, he simply isn't good enough there yet, but is working in training to learn the job at Premier League level.
Japhet Tanganga is a centre-back playing out of position at left-back at the moment. Ben Davies has started training with the team again.
We also have a highly-rated left-back coming through the academy who is impressing everyone. Dennis Cirkin is a 17-year-old (18 in April) attacking left-back who is training with the first team.
He will need time to develop but we must be wary that we don't block his development path, the same goes with Troy Parrott who isn't ready for regular cameos this season yet.
Will we, therefore, look for a left-back or do e already have the solutions?
First, you have to prove yourself in training, particularly a youngster coming into a group of senior professionals. They know a player when they see one and accept those with talent into a group.
Then it is a question now od go out on loan and prove yourself or when you get a chance to play, you take it.
That is how a winning mentality approaches youth development and indeed new signings.
Tottenham is not a charity, well the football team isn't. You don't get a run of games by default to prove yourself, that is the way mediocrity thinks. You get a chance, you perform, no excuses.
Harry Kane started scoring goals, Nabil Bentaleb looked as though he was an experienced player, Harry Winks was brought through with seasons worth of cameos, Dele Alli was an instant hit, Japhet Tanganga gave a performance that said, you can't drop me now.
That is the mentality required. Not oh, he was never given a chance, rubbish, a player gets a chance in training every day, they are paid to train.
Anyway, that's enough of my ramblings, there is a game to watch tonight and hopefully I get another chance to watch the man I shouted about all summer, Giovani Lo Celso.
Contracts
Hugo Lloris has agreed a contract extension, Troy Parrott has signed a 4-year contract with a year extension today and Japhet Tanganga has signed a 5-year contract too.You all saw against Man City that after a week's intensive training with Jose that they were starting to get the hang of his ideas and play in the way he wants.
Chelsea were a side that soaked up the pressure and when a side made a mistake they penalised them, they did it to us many times.
That is what Mourinho is trying to create at Spurs, yes, if quick passing attractive football can be incorporated in that then so much the better, but the solidity in defence, the shape has to be put in place first.
Any side goes through a transition period when a new manager comes in and changes the style. It takes a season for players to get used to it. Klopp and Rodgers had the same at Liverpool, Rodgers at Leicester City too.
While we learn his system or rather learn to implement his system to a high standard, we are trying to finish in the UEFA Champions League places. On that front, we have a game against Chelsea that will be a must-win game on 22nd February.
We will need to learn to be more clinical and pass better around the box when so often we play a lazy pass to destroy a promising attack.
Jose Mourinho wants to play a different style to Mauricio Pochettino and therefore requires a different makeup of player to Pochettino.
Serge Bender, for instance, was a player we had watched before.
He was offered to Mourinho, indeed his agent contacted Spurs but Mourinho turned the opportunity down. He didn't fit the profile of player he is looking for.
As previously mentioned, we have negotiated with QPR to bring 21-year-old (22 in June) attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze to Spurs.
We are very keen on 21-year-old (22 in December) Victor Osimhen from Lille. Our discussions with the Nigerian international (6 caps, 4 goals, 2 assists) are part of the reason we didn't panic buy in January.
Osimhen has scored 15 goals in 31 games with a further 5 assists. He likes what he sees at Spurs and the role mapped out for his future. Very early days but, at the moment, he is keen on the Spurs project under Mourinho.
Also at Lille, 20-year-old (21 later this month) Boubakary Soumaré is a defensive or central midfielder we are again very keen on and have spoken to. The signs are encouraging for him too but a lot can change in a short while in football.
Clearly, we are going to continue to scout these two until the end of the season and be talking with them through their agents.
Left-back is going to be a very interesting position.
We are not going to play Danny Rose, he is on loan at Newcastle and we hope he stays there. Should he return he will again not figure while all he wants to do is run down his contract and play within himself.
He will be sold in the summer as will Kyle Walker-Peters who simply isn't good enough. A decision is yet to be made over Jan Foyth. The talent is there but there are too many mistakes, which is a mentality issue.
Moussa Sissoko is likely to be sold even though he was a regular starter for Jose. He will always be a bull in a china shop player and we are looking for players just as strong, but with greater technical ability.
I said at the beginning of summer that Jan Vertonghen would return to Ajax to finish his career and he still hasn't signed a contract extension. His performances have dropped and now he is a bench warmer.
Ryan Sessegnon is not a left-back, he simply isn't good enough there yet, but is working in training to learn the job at Premier League level.
Japhet Tanganga is a centre-back playing out of position at left-back at the moment. Ben Davies has started training with the team again.
We also have a highly-rated left-back coming through the academy who is impressing everyone. Dennis Cirkin is a 17-year-old (18 in April) attacking left-back who is training with the first team.
He will need time to develop but we must be wary that we don't block his development path, the same goes with Troy Parrott who isn't ready for regular cameos this season yet.
Will we, therefore, look for a left-back or do e already have the solutions?
First, you have to prove yourself in training, particularly a youngster coming into a group of senior professionals. They know a player when they see one and accept those with talent into a group.
Then it is a question now od go out on loan and prove yourself or when you get a chance to play, you take it.
That is how a winning mentality approaches youth development and indeed new signings.
Tottenham is not a charity, well the football team isn't. You don't get a run of games by default to prove yourself, that is the way mediocrity thinks. You get a chance, you perform, no excuses.
Harry Kane started scoring goals, Nabil Bentaleb looked as though he was an experienced player, Harry Winks was brought through with seasons worth of cameos, Dele Alli was an instant hit, Japhet Tanganga gave a performance that said, you can't drop me now.
That is the mentality required. Not oh, he was never given a chance, rubbish, a player gets a chance in training every day, they are paid to train.
Anyway, that's enough of my ramblings, there is a game to watch tonight and hopefully I get another chance to watch the man I shouted about all summer, Giovani Lo Celso.
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