Today’s financial landscape and competitive balance of European football can best be summated thusly: only the richest of the super rich have the resources to spend on player acquisition, and thus compete at the highest level. No single day exemplifies this reality better than today- the end of the closing of the summer transfer window.
It’s an issue that goes well beyond the scope of this article, but it’s covered in depth by the June 3 New Yorker article “How Football Leaks is Exposing Corruption in European Soccer,” by Sam Knight, which I suggest you read at some point over at this link. In the meantime, let’s go over the big money, free-spending day/summer transfer window turned in by Tottenham Hotspur.
The north London club finally broke out of their non-spending ways this summer and got back in the splashing the cash game.
Tottenham Hotspur New Arrivals of Note:
Daniel Levy finally woke up, came to his senses and loosened the purse strings. After 517 days without a single new transfer buy, Spurs broke the club transfer fee record when they paid £63 million to Lyon for central midfielder Tanguy Ndombele. They then broke the record again on deadline day when they paid £65 to Real Betis for midfielder Giovani Lo Celsio.
They also picked up left side midfield man Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham for £25 million. The other major signing of the summer was Leeds United winger Jack Clarke for £10 million, who will be automatically loaned back for the upcoming season.
So if you’re scoring at home that’s £88m on deadline day alone and £161m for the summer. High rolling and big time balling!
Tottenham Hotspur Departures of Significance:
Kieran Trippier, Michele Vorm and Vincent Janssen were the biggest names of those went outbound, but at the end of the day none will really create any gaping holes that manager Mauricio Pochettino won’t be able to fill.
Tottenham Hotspur Team Needs Addressed and Not Addressed:
Spurs went midfield heavy and that’s a smart move. The most important team need was to keep Pochettino happy, as Poch has not been shy about expressing his discontent with a lack of resources being provided to him. And he’s totally right to be malcontent.
After all, every chef will be upset if his restaurant doesn’t provide him the necessary ingredients.
Tottenham Hotspur Synopsis and Overall Grade: A-
There will no doubt be plenty of discussion had about the ones who got away, Paulo Dybala to be sure, and maybe Philippe Coutinho as well, but that’s accentuating the negative. Spurs made bold moves and announced that they are here to compete and turn the two horse Premier League title race into a three headed monster.
Without a doubt, they are the third strongest team on paper heading into the season.
Summer Transfer Window Analysis/Season Previews
Arsenal Tottenham City United Liverpool Chelsea
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly appears on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
You can follow Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com on Twitter here and his cat on Instagram at this link.