Gary Neville has claimed that Tottenham did not end their transfer drought in January because the winter window is stuck.
Speaking to Sky Sports, the high-profile pundit provided some insight as to why Spurs did not reinforce their squad for the second half of the campaign.
Neville explained that Tottenham would have tried to bring in a new striker but chairman Daniel Levy could not get the players he wanted at the midway point of the campaign.
Neville told Sky Sports: “We asked this week: Are we surprised that Arsenal didn’t bring in a defender? Are we surprised Tottenham didn’t bring in a replacement for Kane, or anybody? But the problem is, they can’t get the players available. They cannot get them. Honestly, it’s a real issue.
“Clubs are not letting go for normal prices, and clubs are now thinking: Do I go and pay over the odds in January? Am I going to get the player I want?
“Is Daniel Levy going to panic to get in the Champions League, or win the league? Does Levy buying four players for £100m guarantee you the league? No, and he’s probably not even going to get the players he wants.”
OPINION
This is great insight from Neville into why Spurs and other elite clubs in need of reinforcements – notably Arsenal and Manchester United – could not do the business needed in the recently-shut window. Certainly, as ever Tottenham follower knows, the club needed a forward alternative to main man Harry Kane and a central midfielder of class and composure following the exit of Mousa Dembele and the injury problems suffered by Victor Wanyama. They got neither as a second consecutive fallow window demonstrated clearly that if Mauricio Pochettino and Levy couldn’t get the players they wanted, they would rather have no new faces at all. Spurs have won their last two league matches, without star pair Kane and Dele Alli, and demonstrated how Pochettino is so adept at keeping his players happy and motivated even after double cup heartache.