Ah the transfer window; it’s always one giant pain in the arse for Tottenham Hotspur fans. Whether the club are linked with a big money move for a striker that is desperately needed or another ongoing transfer saga that will see the prized asset leave, it’s regularly a lengthy few months for the fans and players alike.
This summer is no different. Much like last summer, the summer of 2008 and 2006. Whether it’s Luka Modric going to Real Madrid or Chelsea or Dimitar Berbatov and Michael Carrick transferring to Manchester United, it’s usually a drawn out affair that, unfortunately, one that goes down to the final hour of the transfer window.
So, one can imagine the surprise when Spurs announced the signings of Jan Vertonghen and Gylfi Sigurdsson 55 and 51 days, respectively, before deadline day. It made for a welcome change at White Hart Lane, where instead of waiting until the dying embers of the transfer window, fans could breathe a huge sigh of relief knowing that two key singings had been made prior to pre-season training.
However, the two additions aren’t enough, that’s a given. Spurs *need* a new striker(s) before the close of the transfer window. Jermain Defoe, Harry Kane and Souleymane Coulibaly aren’t enough to head into the new season, something head coach Andre Villas-Boas recently admitted.
Emmanuel Adebayor, who spent last year on loan at White Hart Lane, reportedly wants a move back to Spurs, but any deal is being held up by his huge wage demands. Jose Salomon Rondon was another have been linked with a move to North London, but has since left financially stricken Malaga for Russian side Rubin Kazan.
Villas-Boas conceded that the club have been thrust back to square one in their pursuit of a front-man, with Leandro Damiao the latest to have been linked with a move to the club. Again. Internacional deny that a deal is in place, but his agent suggests a deal could happen this summer.
As it remains, however, no striker has arrived, despite the countless links. Many have criticised chairman Daniel Levy as a result, suggesting he is again holding out for the best possible deal as the clock ticks closer to ‘Jim White time’.
However, it is this time which makes Levy such an astute chairman. Spurs aren’t in any, major, financial difficulties as a result of his negotiating skills, a set that Alan Sugar once described as the hardest to overcome. The club were one of only three teams last season to make a net profit, along with Aston Villa and Arsenal.
Nevertheless, he is working hard to bring in a new striker as required by Villas-Boas. To say he is doing nothing would be a massive slap in the face to the Spurs supremo. Levy is working to get the best deal for Modric, believed to worth around £35m to Real Madrid. The La Liga champions are the front-runners for the midfielder’s signature, despite interest from Manchester United and Paris St. Germain.
Furthermore, Levy is still working on a deal to bring in Adebayor, with the striker’s wages the sticking point. It is important to note that the Spurs chairman hasn’t stopped working this summer to bring in the players that will help take the club to the next level, all while tending to his ill wife in America.
He has the club’s best interests at heart and will continue to do so again this summer. Yes, it is important to ensure a squad is in place and settled for the first game of the season against Newcastle United, but with the Financial Fair Play looming, so is spending less.
With the transfer window open for another 23 days, fans should remain upbeat about the possibly incomings and outgoings prior to the September 1st deadline. Levy is working hard to bring in the right players to propel Spurs further up the table; fans just have to remain patient and keep telling themselves – In Levy We Trust.
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