Despite having one of the complete squads in the Premier League, as Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho believes, Tottenham Hotspur will have to make some very important additions this summer after injuries reduced the team to bare bones this season.
Although in Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, Tottenham Hotspur have one of the best centre-half duos in the league, the manager found his backup options hugely ineffective earlier in the season. While defensive midfielder Eric Dier did compensate to some extent when Alderweireld was injured in the initial stages, the other option of Kevin Wimmer wasn’t effective at all. Wimmer’s future at White Hart Lane is in big doubt while the other natural centre-back Cameron Carter-Vickers is too young to rely upon.
Although Spurs have been quite decent in the domestic league, their European campaign has been disastrous. Their Champions League campaign at got off to a pathetic start with defeats against Monaco and Bayer Leverkusen before they finally registered a win against CSKA Moscow in a dead rubber.
Getting demoted to the Europa League, Spurs lost out to Gent in the 1st leg and will have another last chance to make things right at White Hart Lane this midweek. Playing his first-choice repeatedly has taken a toll on their fitness and it will one of the prime departments Pochettino will be filling this summer.
According to reports, Tottenham are eyeing a move for Hull City defender Harry Maguire. The 23-year-old has been quite impressive for the Tigers and has shown maturity beyond his age.
Landing him will be a difficult job for Pochettino as Everton and Southampton are also keeping tabs on the centre back, who has been in the form of his life for the last few weeks. With Spurs also interested, a bidding war is expected as the transfer window opens next.
Maguire fits the bill precisely for Pochettino because he can play comfortably in a back four or a back three. Hull have a number of players on loan who will be returning at the end of the season and Marco Silva is unwilling to lose any more of his players. Maguire’s contract expires in June 2018 and if Hull doesn’t manage to survive relegation, stopping him from moving would be impossible.
After a severe crisis at the back, Spurs welcomed Vertonghen back from an ankle injury in their 3-0 win over Fulham on Sunday. It was perfect timing in every sense as Harry Kane, who was experiencing a purple patch of late got his hat-trick in the game. If Spurs get past Millwall in the quarter-finals, they will have an advantage over their biggest rivals for the FA Cup.
