Five stars Tottenham should sign this summer.
After a disappointing campaign at White Heart Lane, new boss Mauricio Pochettino will be charged with getting the club back on track and competing for a spot in the Champions League again. Several stars are set to head for the exit, while there will no doubt be a series of star players heading in the opposite direction.
Stefan Savic – Fiorentina
Spurs have lacked a little at the back this season despite Michael Dawson showing the kind of form that not only won him the captaincy but a spot in the England set pup, too. Spurs have been keen on former Man City star Stefan Savic this summer, but with the Montenegrin looking for Champions League football, there’s a chance they may not have enough to bring him on board. Furthermore, he has been linked with a move to Manchester United, who ill undoubtedly be an exciting prospect now that Louis Van Gaal is in charge.
Daryl Janmaat – Feyenoord
Spurs were vulnerable in wide defensive positions last season, and that frailty looks set to continue into the new campaign should they not make moves to replace what they have there. Dutch full-back Daryl Janmaat was once a target for arch-rivals Arsenal until they turned their attentions elsewhere, and after impressing for his country at the World Cup so far Pochettino would do well to print into action and bring him on board to add some grit, tenacity and experience to his right-back slot.
Ricardo Alvarez – Inter Milan
Alvarez is the first player to be linked with a move to Spurs since Pochettino took the reins at the club, and he could do a lot worse than bringing his compatriot on board. The 26-year-old is capable of playing anywhere across the middle of the park, and would provide some stout cover should the club ever need it. Quick, direct, and blessed with a creative flair, he would give the side exactly what Erik Lamela was supposed to be doing last season. A bargain at just £8m.
Yacine Brahimi – Granada
The Algerian star is the kind of dribbler that Tottenham missed in Gareth Bale’s absence last term, and is a player that has been on the verge of a move to the Premier League for years now. Also linked with a switch to Everton, Brahimi would give Pochettino a pact outlet to get in behind opposition defences to unlock them. However, Granada are known to be tough negotiators and are believed to be willing to start the bidding at £8m with an eye to increasing the price as the two sides battle it out for his signature.
Romelu Lukaku – Chelsea
Lukaku is the hottest property in the Premier League this summer and Spurs have become the latest club to show an interest in snapping him up. Pochettino is supposedly willing to allow Emmanuel Adebayor and Roberto Soldado out of the club and should Tottenham be able to persuade the Belgian to move to north London they will have a potent Premier League goalscorer who will win the club points all by himself. However, they will be expected to pay through the nose to win that race, so a move may depend on whether he can find buyers for his misfiring front line first.