Tottenham Hotspur will be looking forward to the start of the season after they finally gelled as a team and looked like fulfilling their potential under Mauricio Pochettino. The former Southampton manager was able to lift the game of every individual in the team and helped them click as a unit. They had a series of commendable performances where they looked assured of themselves and the performances did not seem like a flash-in-the-pan occurrence. Mauricio Pochettino has transformed Spurs into a well-oiled machine, perfectly blending the much-valued tradition of promoting English youth and at the same time achieving performances which are far belied their youth.
Players who stand out in this regard are Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Eric Dier and these are just the tip of the iceberg. But on the flip-side of what these youthful players achieved with their performances, they also face the very plausible prospect of a burnout early in their career (Remember Jack Wilshere folks?). Their performances towards the end of the season, most notably their coming together and somehow conspiring to gift their close pals across town St Totteringham’s Day, showcases the concerns about to plague the Spurs in the coming season.
With the amount of games to deal with and the minuscule gap between the matches, Spurs will know the importance of having quality back-ups. While they have recruited Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen, two useful additions which will serve both as back-ups and more than capable replacements, they will need more signings to maintain the level they have attained.
Recent links have indicated a Spurs move for the in-demand Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic who is also being tracked by Arsenal and Liverpool. Pochettino has deemed Bentaleb as surplus to requirements and the iffy injury record of Dembele is an issue which can’t be overlooked.
On 24 January 2015, Brozović signed with Inter Milan on a year and a half year loan deal with a clause to make the deal permanent. He is considered a box-to-box midfielder but is comfortable playing in the centre of the midfield. He has also spent a considerable number of matches playing on the right side of midfield and further up the pitch. His passing catches the eye and his tendency to play key passes for his attackers stand out. The 23-year old midfielder is also adept at taking set-pieces and his eagerness to contribute defensively will help him fit in well with the high-energy philosophy at the White Hart Lane.
Though the Croatian has just made his move to the Italian club permanent after being on loan from Dinamo Zagreb since January 2015, Inter are said to have shelled out around £7m to seal the switch and as a result, they are ready to instantly sell Brozovic on for a hefty profit.
