Where do Spurs need to strengthen?

As we all know Tottenham, Hotspur won’t be playing Champions League football next season following Chelsea’s win over Bayern Munich in the final, which will see Spurs demoted to the Europa League (the 2nd tier of European Football). As a result, the club are restricted financially and with possible transfer targets. I will go through the current team and point out how we could strengthen each position through comings and goings.

To start off with the goalkeeper, Brad Friedel had a magnificent season last year, but as we all know he isn’t getting any younger and we couldn’t possibly put Gomes back in. With these in mind, Spurs should invest in a goalkeeper and maybe a young back up. Lyon shot-stopper Hugo Lloris has been mooted as a possible arrival, but as a regular international and having developed a taste for Champions League football, he may not want to make the move across the Channel.

Tim Krul, for me, seems the most ideal option; solid, strong and young. Newcastle are desperate to keep hold of the Dutchman, but surely a fee of £15 million would snatch him. On top of that, Michel Vorm of managerless Swansea City may be keen to move away from the Liberty City Stadium, having seen Brendan Rodgers recently take over the reins with Liverpool. He would be a very reliable keeper and a fee of at most £8 million could be enough to see the Swans part with their number one.

Jack Butland of Birmingham City is also a young English keeper with a bagful of potential. A small fee could convince the Championship side to part with him and a few loan spells out could turn him into a top class keeper. For back-up, recently released Robert Green, formerly of West Ham United, would be a great signing for free and I wouldn’t say no, but only as a reserve. Spurs could sell Gomes for anything between £3million and £5million, whilst keeping Carlo Cudicini around for experience or even within a coaching capacity.

Our defence wouldn’t need any drastic alterations. With Kyle Naughton and Steven Caulker returning from very successful loan spells, with Norwich City and Swansea City respectively, the two will provide cover and competition for places in the first-team. Seeing as Ledley King is possibly set to retire, coupled with Ryan Nelsen’s contract expiring, a new centre back should be brought in.

Every Spurs fan hopes that Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen will sign and it seems 99% sure that he will arrive over the course of the summer. Michael Dawson will return from injury to provide cover in the heart of the defence. Furthermore, Danny Rose should be shipped out on loan to a Premier League side as Vertonghen and Naughton would provide cover for Benoit Assou-Ekotto. Vedran Corluka looks sure to leave and a fee of around £5 million would be great to free up some funds.

The midfield appears to be very strong, but with Niko Kranjcar and Steven Pienaar both unsettled at White Hart Lane, replacements would need to be brought. Siem De Jong of Ajax has been mentioned and would seem a viable option for back-up. With Luka Modric’s future still to be determined, I would happily sell the Croatian international, should a fee of around £40 million arrive, giving Spurs the opportunity to bring in a player of similar level to Christian Eriksen, Marvin Martin, Yoann Cabaye, of Ajax, Sochaux and Newcastle United respectively, or even give Pienaar a go, from as we have seen at his recent loan spell at Everton he can be top class.

With Tom Huddlestone seemingly set to return from a long spell on the sidelines with an ankle problem, a loan move to a Premier league team for Jake Livermore could work wonders; first-team football and plenty of experience. Sandro and Scott Parker will provide enough cover in the midfield, as would Huddlestone.

With Aaron Lennon regularly getting injured, a back-up Winger would need to be bought. Junior Hoilett would have been amazing and free, with a small compensation fee, but rumours are he has signed for Gladbach in Germany. Adam Johnson would be a top addition to our team and is believed to be considering his future with Manchester. He could be available for as little as £10 million and would provide competition for places with Lennon and Gareth Bale also fighting for a first-team spot.

The front-line seems to be a continuous problem for Spurs. It’s time for Daniel Levy and Joe Lewis to open their cheque books and bring in a world class striker, not attempted signings of Sergio Aguero and Giuseppe Rossi of 18 months ago

A striker that would fit perfectly with Rafael Van der Vaart would be Leandro Damiao, a regular Brazil international and attracting interest from Paris St. Germain and Juventus. A player who has shown what he can do for his club Internacional over the past three season, seems to be ready for a big move and Spurs would be perfect for him. He’s physically strong, good in the air, can hold up the ball and is brilliant finisher. The Brazilian outfit value him around at €20 million and this would be a decent fee to pay for a brilliant striker and who is still young.

With Louis Saha set to leave on a free, another striker will need to be brought. Emmanuel Adebayor signing for Spurs seems to be in the pipelines in a move that would be perfect. With a strike force of Damiao, Van der Vaart, Adebayor and Defoe, it could be one of the best in the League and provides lot of competition. Other potential arrivals would could lead the line include Loic Remy of Marseille, Athletic Bilbao hitman Fernando Llorente and Seydou Doumbia of CSKA Moscow, three proven strikers that will guarantee goals.

Furthermore, with Harry Kane shining on loan for Millwall, a similar spell at a better team could do him the world of good. Giovani Dos Santos seems to be on his way out of White Hart Lane with a possible move to Liverpool or various La Liga teams. A fee of at least £6 million would be good considering he barely played for Spurs and has been shipped out on loan numerous times.

If the mentioned players arrived at White Hart Lane, I am confident that Spurs would be set to challenge for at least a top four finish in the 2012/13 Premier League campaign and in seasons to come. 

Eoghan is most certainly on Twitter and can be followed here.