Phil Thompson has suggested that Tottenham need to keep hold of midfielder Christian Eriksen and improve their squad during the summer transfer window, and that Mauricio Pochettino’s side need to priorities adding quality rather than quantity.
Tottenham did not make a single addition in either the summer or January transfer windows this season, but have still managed to secure a fourth place Premier League finish and reach the Champions League final, where they face Liverpool in Madrid.
Thompson believes that Pochettino’s squad will need to be strengthened this summer in a few areas – and that Spurs will need to keep hold of Eriksen and add some competition for Harry Kane up front.
“I think they need a bit of strengthening all around, maybe in the full-back areas. There is talk of Christian Eriksen leaving, who is their creative influence. That would be a big blow to Tottenham,” Thompson told Sky Sports.
“I think Fernando Llorente could move on too as he will want more game time, so it is similar to Liverpool – they will need a decent forward to work alongside or perhaps off Harry Kane.”
“They need to beef up the quality of their squad. They have 14/15 that are decent, but they must bulk up with quality rather than quantity.”
OPINION
Thompson is right to point out that Tottenham will be in need of strengthening their squad during the summer transfer window. Pochettino has done a remarkable job this season managing to once again get his side to qualify for the Champions League, a competition in which they have reached the final this season. However, despite those achievements Tottenham lost 13 games last season, six more than the previous campaign, while they also managed to score fewer and concede goals more frequently. That highlights the need to add more depth in quality to Tottenham’s squad, after failing to make a single addition all season this term. The time must be right for Pochettino to be given funds to boost the competition for places within his squad, with the club now settled in their new state of art stadium. If the Argentine is not going to be backed with funds to strengthen his squad now, after all he has managed to achieve with the club, then he may well begin to consider his own future. This is going to be a very crucial transfer window for Tottenham this summer, and the business they do in it could well determine whether they are able to continue their vast progression under Pochettino in the next few years.