Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur haven’t had the best of seasons in the Premier League this time around. ‘So close, yet so far’ would be the ideal title for a book explaining all of Spurs’ exploits over the last many years, and their Champions League final defeat at the hands of Liverpool last May was the perfect example. Despite having been in some good positions along the way, the North London club just never seem to be able to take the final step.
Mauricio Pochettino was sacked from his job in the first half of the league season, as Tottenham struggled to maintain any level of consistency. Dropping points as well as places in the league table at a rapid speed, the Spurs board acted drastically and brought in the most experienced head available to them at the time – Jose Mourinho. The former Chelsea head coach hasn’t looked like the same manager that won back-to-back league titles at Stamford Bridge all those years ago for a long time now, and it would be silly to think that he’s instantly going to deliver success.
One thing he can do though is to get a fighting spirit going through the team. It could be argued that the North London side are one of the multiple top Premier League clubs looking to rebuild their squad from scratch. That would need new signings, but could also require a fair number of departures. Whether or not Jose Mourinho can get his balance right will determine what the near-future holds for the club.
Identifying 3 Tottenham Hotspur Players That Mourinho Should Cash In On During This Transfer Window
Michel Vorm
The Premier League veteran has been around the English game for the longest time, but now at 36, it could be the right time for Spurs to sell to him to one of the smaller clubs and reinvest the money gained into signing more attacking talents.
With Hugo Lloris and Paulo Gazzaniga available, and 21-year-old Alfie Whiteman impressing at lower levels as well, Vorm’s sale wouldn’t have too much of an impact on the squad itself.
Jan Vertonghen
The Belgian international has been a Tottenham player for a long time now, but it seems like his time in North London is drawing to a close. Despite being fairly dependable at the back, it must be conceded that the 32-year-old has been quite far from his best in the league this season, irrespective of whether he has been deployed at full-back or down the middle. Now entering the twilight years of his career, Spurs will do well to recuperate any kind of transfer fee on the veteran while they still can.
Erik Lamela
The 28-year-old Argentine winger arrived from Roma in the summer of 2011 with massive expectations but still finds himself warming the bench on most occasions. The former River Plate academy graduate just doesn’t seem to have the quality, composure or consistency required to sustain in a league as competitive as the English top flight. How he has been a Tottenham player for this long is one of the many mysteries surrounding this squad, and getting rid of him and investing elsewhere would surely be a smart decision by Jose Mourinho.
