OPINION
After securing yet another top four finish in the Premier League, Tottenham will be looking to take the next step and push on for that elusive piece of silverware.
The Lilywhites have not managed to get their hands on a trophy for over a decade and despite the growth shown by Mauricio Pochettino and his men, the pressure is starting to build from all four corners of north London and beyond.
Their improvement on the European stage will likely have satiated the demands somewhat but the longer the wait goes on, the more angst will build among the fan base.
The key to their future success will likely lie in how the club conduct their business across the transfer window, with there likely to be a handful of new arrivals, as well as departing stars, until deadline day in August.
One man they have been linked with over the last 12 months is Ajax youngster Justin Kluivert, son of former Newcastle star Patrick, with the blistering winger dazzling for the European giants.
In fact, Kluivert Jr has revealed to Volkskrant that Spurs held talks with Ajax over a potential swoop for the 19-year-old last summer, and tried to prise him away, with the Dutch club reportedly willing to seal a deal without discussing it with the player first.
However, it appears to have backfired in Ajax’s face, with the young flyer now looking for a move away, and was quoted by Volkskrant as saying: “I want to be the best in the world. Look what happens around me, with other players who want to leave or leave. It will soon be difficult to get through the preliminary round of the Champions League.
“I’m not renewing my contract at Ajax. Too much has happened. The decreasing morale, lack of confidence, trying to sell me to Tottenham without me knowing. I heard about that at the last minute. That says nothing about Ajax, but about the people in the club.”
If Champions League football is what Kluivert wants, then Spurs should be offering that to him, after he netted 11 goals and chipped in with five assists in the season just gone.
He would offer a new dimension to the Spurs attack, and it would give Kluivert the opportunity to leave with a kick in the teeth for Ajax.