Tottenham Hotspur have already strengthened a squad which suffered the heartache of missing out on Champions League football to their nearest rivals on the final day of the last Premier League campaign.
The acquisitions of midfield man Paulinho and winger Nacer Chadli will undoubtedly give boss Andre Villas-Boas more options – an absolute must for an outfit that looked slightly short of quality once injuries and suspensions kicked in last time around.
There is every chance the duo will play a key role in taking the club to the next level. If Paulinho can replicate the form he has shown for Brazil and Corinthians, Tottenham have a new dimension to their midfield approach.
And in FC Twente man Chadli, the urgent need for extra width in the absence of Aaron Lennon or when Gareth Bale (if he stays) is deployed in a central role, has been satisfied.
But it is the eagerly-anticipated return of two men already on the books which has given Spurs followers extra cause for optimism.
Injury-stricken Sandro was sorely missed in the engine room, especially when doubts persisted over the long-term fitness of Scott Parker.
The Brazilian, who suffered a serious knee injury at the start of the year and has undergone rehab in the country of his birth, brings much-needed energy and guile in the centre of the park, attributes any team aiming for a top four finish cannot afford to do without.
And towering centre-half Younes Kaboul – also sidelined by a nasty knee ailment and thwarted on more than one occasion in his bid to make a successful return to fitness – is simply a giant at the heart of the Tottenham backline.
If his season on the treatment table has not robbed the Frenchman of his pace and presence, Villas-Boas will be handed a major boost.
As with any serious injury, the big word here is ‘if’. As things stand, the noises coming out of White Hart Lane suggest the talented duo are on course to have a major say in the side’s push for the Champions League or even a title bid.
But that hinges on the body’s reaction to a long-awaited return to the cut and thrust of top-flight competitive action, and the mind’s ability to move past the fear factor of suffering a recurrence of the injury.
Clear those hurdles and you can roll out the old cliché – Tottenham will have two new signings on their hands.
And not overseas imports yet to prove themselves in the Premier League. A pair of established internationals who know how to cut it here.
Find me on Twitter: @ChrisLynham_
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