4 Positions Tottenham Need to Strengthen & the Players They Should Sign to Fix Them

03 April 2020 18:36

We can all dream, right?

​In the current climate and with Jose Mourinho's previous comments on the state of his squad, Tottenham probably aren't getting a massive rebuild this summer.

But if the pursestrings were to be loosened which, given what the club have been ​criticised for this past week, seems unlikely, where would the north London side need to strengthen?

Don't worry, we've got you covered.


Goalkeeper

Hugo Lloris

With Hugo Lloris now 33 and still churning out the occasional mistake here and there, Spurs need a new goalie lined up pronto.

Neither Paulo Gazzaniga or - shudder - Michel Vorm are cut out to be first choice for the long term, which makes this an area ​Tottenham can't afford to ignore for too much longer.

Suggested Options

Andre Onana has impressed at Ajax and, given Spurs have signed talent from the Dutch giants in the past, might be seen as a viable option. However, seeing as he's only just turned 25, the Cameroon international would likely command a hefty transfer fee.

Elsewhere, Gianluigi Donnarumma's future at Milan is uncertain, though it seems he'll likely end up at Paris Saint-Germain, while ​Premier League stoppers Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale could end up being decent signings.


​Full-Back

FBL-ENG-PR-TOTTENHAM-SOUTHAMPTON

Ah, remember the days when Tottenham were associated with rapid full-backs who ran the show in attacking areas? Those two seasons with Kyle Walker and Danny Rose rampaging down the flanks were brilliant.

Fast forward to the present day and things are lot different. Walker's at Manchester City and has won a few Premier League titles, while Rose is on loan at Newcastle after a gradual decline in performances aided by persistent knocks.

Serge Aurier has a decent cross on him but often doesn't fancy the defensive side, and he's also not to be trusted in the box. So many needless penalties have been given away by the Ivory Coast international, while he's also partial to a red card every now and then. Japhet Tanganga has been thrown in at right-back, but his future is evidently at centre-back.

On the left, Jan Vertonghen and Ben Davies have rotated, while Ryan Sessegnon has also been given the odd game here and there.

Suggested Options

Norwich's Max Aarons has been linked and, at just 20 years of age, could prove to be a solid investment. Leicester star Ricardo Pereira is probably a no-go as he'd considerably more pricy than the €25m the Foxes forked out back in 2018.

On the left, Mourinho may see Sessegnon as more of a long-term project. Benfica's Alejandro Grimaldo could be an option - he's often brilliant on Football Manager, so he'd obviously be great in real life, right?


Defensive Midfield

UEFA Champions League"Red Bull Leipzig v Tottenham Hotspur FC"

This was a position Tottenham had covered for approximately one season, when Victor Wanyama and Mousa Dembele were roaming White Hart Lane in 2016/17, mopping up any loose balls and stopping counter-attacks before they started.

Sadly, Wanyama couldn't shake off persistent injuries and Dembele left in January 2019, having enjoyed a renaissance campaign the season before.

Right now, the central midfield positions are shared by Harry Winks, Moussa Sissoko, Giovani Lo Celso, Eric Dier and Tanguy Ndombele. Dier would be the only player there who fits the 'destroyer' tag, but unfortunately his legs have deserted him in recent years and he gets bypassed far too easily. 

The rest of those lads are all forward-thinking players, so there's not too much protection going on there - bar Moussa Sissoko, who spent the entirety of 2018/19 covering for Kieran Trippier.

Suggested Options

Nemanja Matic was one name brought up when Mourinho initially took over. Yes, he's been much improved for Manchester United in recent weeks, but he's not the answer.

Instead, Spurs could do worse than target ​Leeds' Kalvin Phillips, who handles pressing pressure with ease and has a good passing range. His asking price will shoot up if and when United are promoted, mind.

Elsewhere, Southampton's Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been mentioned, while Ligue 1 talents Ibrahim Sangare and Boubakary Soumare are also worth a look.


Striker

FBL-ENG-PR-SOUTHAMPTON-TOTTENHAM

Ok, yes, we all know Harry Kane will be Tottenham's star player until the day he decides to leave the club, but Spurs can't go on without a secondary striker. They've gassed out Lucas Moura, who is much more effective as part of a flowing system rather than being the focal point of attack.

The signing of Fernando Llorente was along the right lines, though he obviously suffered when trying to press from the front.

Whether it's a much-touted young player or another experienced campaigner, Spurs need a striker who can hold the ball up and allow wide players and attacking midfielders like Dele Alli to play what's in front of them.

Whoever is brought in will have to comfortable sitting on the bench, given Kane remains among the best strikers in the world.

Suggested Options

Krzysztof Piatek was linked back in January but joined Hertha Berlin, while Willian Jose is still at Real Sociedad after talks amounted to diddly squat.

It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid would be willing to let Luka Jovic go after an unsuccessful first term at the Bernabeu, while Napoli's Arkadiusz Milik is also supposedly of interest to the north London side.


Source: 90min