When evaluating the Tottenham Hotspur summer transfer window, you must “grade on a curve” so to speak. It’s a massively expensive project to replace White Hart Lane, and the stadium scheme looms over everything. It’s more than just a giant stadium upgrade, Tottenham is looking to revitalize a whole neighborhood and they just couldn’t spend a ton of money on new players this summer.
Given how insane the transfer fees became this summer window, it’s easy to understand the type of business that Spurs conducted this window.
Tottenham Hotspur Summer Transfer Window Summary
IN
Vincent Janssen
Victor Wanyama
Georges-Kevin Nkoudou
Moussa Sissoko
Pau Lopez
OUT
Nacer Chadli
Ryan Mason
DeAndre Yedlin
Federico Fazio (loan)
Nabil Bentaleb
Clinton N’jie
Spurs would have had a 4/10, C- kind of transfer window, but when they swopped in and grabbed Sissoko from Everton’s clutches, it was a big, bold move. Chelsea returning David Luiz might have grabbed all the headlines, but the Sissoko drama was actually the most interesting thing that happened on deadline day itself. He’s an interesting cat, so time will tell how he fits in.
Vincent Janssen isn’t really all that impressive a pick-up. Maybe he’ll exceed expectations, but for his own sake, and that of Spurs supporters, I’m sure he’ll do much better than the last Dutch Eredivisie leading scorer who moved up to the English Premier League (Manchester United flop Memphis Depay)
Wanyama is a great player, but he doesn’t fill any specific team needs. Spurs haven’t exactly set the world on fire in their early start to the season, and blew a chance to make themselves legitimate title contenders.
After an excellent, breakthrough season last year, Tottenham Hotspur could have gone large and found themselves in the same class with the Manchester clubs and Chelsea. Those three sides won the summer transfer window and hence look like the three clubs a notch above everyone else in the league right now.
Tottenham Hotspur Summer Transfer Window Grade/Rating
6/10 C+
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.
