An honest assessment of this Tottenham squad.
SEE ALSO: Top 10 smoking footballers
It has been a relatively quiet summer for Tottenham Hotspur so far, but there’s no doubt that new manager Mauricio Pochettino has some work to do as he looks to build a side capable of reaching the Premier League’s top four next season.
Looking at who’s good enough and who needs to leave, CaughtOffside gives an honest assessment of each member of Spurs’ first-team squad, with possible replacements to come in in the key areas.
GOALKEEPERS:
Hugo Lloris: KEEP!
One of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, the French sweeper-keeper will surely remain the club’s number one this season after recently signing a new contract.
Michel Vorm: KEEP! (New signing)
A top performer from his time at Swansea City, Vorm should make a great backup option for Lloris at White Hart Lane.
Brad Friedel: RETIRE!
43 years old and now surely third choice, it’s fair to say the American’s great Premier League career is over.
Possible replacements? None needed at the moment with three strong and experienced options in goal. A youngster coming through the ranks may be more worthwhile than Friedel in terms of thinking for the future, but Spurs have little to worry about here.
Jan Vertonghen: KEEP!
Despite a rocky patch of form last season, the Belgian centre-back remains a top class performer on his day, and rumoured interest from the likes of Barcelona shows that.
Younes Kaboul: SELL!
A decent player, but hardly the best and far too injury prone to be relied upon on a consistent basis. Best to cash in on rumoured interest from the likes of AC Milan.
Vlad Chiriches: KEEP!
Not the most convincing first season perhaps, but a highly rated talent who deserves a bit more time to shine.
Michael Dawson: SELL!
A good leader and servant to Tottenham, but not a player who really looks good enough anymore if the club really want to compete at the top level.
Possible replacements? It would have been great for Mauricio Pochettino to bring in one of his trusted performers from Southampton – Dejan Lovren – but he now looks set to sign for Liverpool. Aston Villa’s Ron Vlaar is another decent candidate after some solid recent performances for club and country.
Kyle Walker: KEEP!
A player who needs more consistency and defensive awareness, but a great attacking outlet for Spurs from the back.
Ben Davies: KEEP! (New signing)
A great addition for Tottenham to solve their problem at left-back, Ben Davies should be the long-term solution for the club in that part of the pitch.
Danny Rose: SELL!
The arrival of Davies will surely see Rose pushed down in the pecking order after an unconvincing season, and Vertonghen’s ability to play left-back arguably means he is not needed at all.
Kyle Naughton: SELL!
Not a player who has ever looked good enough to be playing for a club of this size, and surely one who will be moved on before long.
Zeki Fryers: KEEP!
A decent young player to have as backup, Fryers may develop into a reliable squad player for Tottenham.
Possible replacements? Versatile Inter Milan full-back Yuto Nagatomo is a player with great quality on either side and has been linked with the club before. Could provide competition for Walker and Davies, and possibly even fill in in midfield if needed.
Sandro: SELL!
A player with decent potential, but who hasn’t really done it in a Tottenham shirt so far in his time with the club.
Mousa Dembele: KEEP!
A talented all-rounder, the Belgian midfielder deserves more time to find his best form, and possibly a chance to play in a more advanced role.
Paulinho: KEEP!
A solid first season at White Hart Lane, the Brazilian’s creativity and eye for goal from midfield should make him a key player for the club.
Etienne Capoue: SELL!
Something of a flop signing in Spurs’ disappointing summer transfer window of last year, there are surely better options out there than the Frenchman.
Nabil Bentaleb: KEEP!
Thrust into the first-team by Tim Sherwood last season, this talented 19-year-old has shown some promise and although he is not ready to be first choice, he should be kept around.
Tom Carroll: SELL!
A highly rated player at the club, but surely now one with too much competition ahead of him. At 22, he can no longer be considered a youngster and hasn’t done enough to prove himself.
Possible replacements? Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin has been linked with the club and would be an upgrade on the likes of Sandro and Capoue. Napoli’s Gokan Inler may also be available this summer and could be a great addition for a reasonable price.
Christian Eriksen: KEEP!
One of the most talented young midfielders in Europe, Eriksen enjoyed a highly promising first season at White Hart Lane and must be kept.
Erik Lamela: KEEP!
Despite a disappointing first season and struggles with injuries, Lamela deserves more time to pay back his £30m transfer fee.
Aaron Lennon: SELL!
A long-serving member of the Tottenham first-team, Lennon simply doesn’t look like becoming the player he promised to be as a youngster, and is too inconsistent to be relied on regularly.
Lewis Holtby: SELL!
A highly promising player, but it’s hard to see where the German international fits into this side.
Andros Townsend: KEEP!
He may not be the next Gareth Bale as hype has suggested, but the England winger is an exciting attacking player and one Spurs can build around next season.
Nacher Chadli: SELL!
One of many transfer mistakes from last summer, Chadli does not look good enough to be playing for a Premier League club with top four ambitions.
Iago Falque: SELL!
A player who has spent much of his Spurs career out on loan, Falque should surely just be sold if he isn’t good enough to make the squad?
Possible replacements? Big names such as Antoine Griezmann have been linked with moves to the club, and the talented French winger would be ideal if they can get him. Exciting Dutch youngster Memphis Depay is also a possibility after rumours that Tottenham were impressed by his displays at the World Cup.
Emmanuel Adebayor: KEEP!
An occasionally frustrating player, but also one who can be a real handful for defenders with his physical presence, allowing others to shine even if he doesn’t score as much as a top striker should.
Roberto Soldado: SELL!
A highly disappointing season at Tottenham after his big-money move from Valencia, Soldado doesn’t have time on his side and doesn’t quite look up to the pace of the English game.
Harry Kane: KEEP!
Some promising displays towards the end of last season suggest Kane may be worth keeping around, at least as a backup player.
Possible replacements? Manchester United look unlikely to keep Javier Hernandez, who has been linked with Spurs before. Romelu Lukaku may be an ambitious option from Chelsea if he is sold, though he would no doubt be expensive. Alvaro Morata may have slipped through the net after joining Juventus, but his arrival could free up Fernando Llorente, another previously linked target.
