Jermaine Jenas has claimed that Tottenham did not sign any players this summer because Mauricio Pochettino only had a select group of targets and was unwilling to settle for second or third choices.
In an interview with the BBC Sport website, the former Spurs and England midfielder insisted that the manager was backed by the board of directors and had money to spend on new talent.
But Jenas said the information from his sources is that Pochettino did not want alternative targets once the club failed to secure deals for his primary choices.
“It is the team that has got them to this position, with consecutive top-three finishes and Champions League football and if the club does not back Pochettino, that will inevitably tail off,” Jenas told BBC Sport.
“From my understanding, however, that is not the reason Spurs did not sign anyone this summer.
“Yes, Spurs had to stay within certain boundaries, but Pochettino was given the finances to go and get what he needed – it was just that Spurs were not able to get those deals over the line, and there was not much point in them going for their second or third choices.”
OPINION
As a former Spurs player who is a respected broadcaster with his ear close to the ground and one who is in regular contact with players and staff at the club, Jenas’ information can certainly be regarded as reliable. The received wisdom is that Tottenham were unwilling to back Pochettino in the summer transfer market because of the financial drain of the new stadium, which has suffered a series of setbacks amid spiralling costs. But it appears there was plenty of money there to spend if Pochettino wanted to. However, the manager has spoken in the past of how only certain footballers will fit the team’s playing style and be an asset to his squad. It appears that once deals such as the ones for Jack Grealish, Ryan Sessegnon and Wilfried Zaha were off the table that the manager shut up shop and pulled down the curtains on the window. That is the Argentine’s prerogative, but Jenas’ revelation should silence a few of Daniel Levy’s more strident critics.