Season shape-up - Tottenham

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Last updated: 19th June 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Season shape-up - Tottenham

Redknapp: Transfer window specialist

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Tottenham will be confident of mounting a stronger challenge for European qualification when the new season gets underway but transfer window specialist Harry Redknapp is likely to tinker with his squad over the next couple of months. Lewis Rutledge assesses what Spurs need to do to move closer to the Premier League's top clubs.

What's happened so far

There has been little transfer activity at White Hart Lane since the end of the Premier League season, although Portuguese defender Ricardo Rocha has left the club after two-and-a-half difficult years.

Rocha's exit could be a sign of things to come, with reports suggesting that Harry Redknapp is prepared to wield the axe before bringing in players of high quality.

The Tottenham boss will feel the foundations are in place for his men to mount a much stronger challenge for European qualification, although they would surely have secured a Europa League berth in 2008/9 had it not been for such a dismal start.

Redknapp immediately identified a lack of steel in his squad as a major problem when he took charge last October and he significantly strengthened every department in the January transfer window, signing players such as Jermain Defoe, Robbie Keane, Wilson Palacios, Pascal Chimbonda and Carlo Cudicini.

The spine of the team looks much more impressive, with Keane, Defoe, Palacios, Jermaine Jenas, Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate and the improving Heurelho Gomes all likely to remain key figures over the next 12 months.

The task for Redknapp now is to fill in the blanks and the rumour mill has already gone into overdrive, which will not be helped in the coming weeks by the manager's willingness to express a liking for just about anyone.

Middlesbrough chief executive Keith Lamb has invited Spurs to re-open negotiations for Stewart Downing, while Ruud van Nistelrooy, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Arjen Robben have also been linked with a switch to London.

Recruiting any member of this Dutch trio would demonstrate the extent of Redknapp's ambition, while other potential targets include Luca Toni, Maxi Rodriguez, Arda Turan and Kalu Uche.

Speculation has also surfaced connecting Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson with a move back to Tottenham.

What they need

Most of the positions look strong but Redknapp will want more depth to his squad to create competition for places, particularly down the left-hand side of his team.

Benoit Assou-Ekotto emerged as a fine full-back last term but his spot could still be vulnerable, while ahead of him Spurs lacked an out-and-out left winger and had to rely on Luka Modric providing a different kind of threat.

The Croatian has been linked with a move elsewhere and it is vital for Redknapp to hold onto a player he regards as world-class.

Palacios has made a huge impact and another midfielder with similar battling qualities would make Tottenham much more formidable, while a tall, physical target man would complement the short and skilful Keane and Defoe.

King's fitness will always be a concern and Redknapp would feel happier with another option at centre-back.

Tottenham may not have much money left to spend after a busy winter but considerable funds could be raised by several high-profile departures.

What they'll get

There is likely to be a steady stream of players going through the exit door and Gilberto, Gareth Bale, Didier Zokora, David Bentley, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Tom Huddlestone, Giovani dos Santos, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent could all leave.

Redknapp is a master in the transfer window and will probably make as many signings as he can in an effort to compete with the top clubs.

He should be able to attract one or two big-name players to the club, probably in attack and midfield, and he has made it clear that he will be targeting experienced professionals in the prime of their careers.

It would come as a surprise if he did not reinforce every area from defence to attack.

Fan's view - Shawn Holder

As a Tottenham fan I am hoping that Mr Redknapp can use his 'wheeling and dealing' techniques to make 3/4 big name signings at small time prices. For a number of years now it seems that Tottenham's transfer policy has been to pay over the top prices for players that have really not performed consistently well (i.e Bent and Bentley) and have also not lived up to the hype and the price tags that have surrounded them. In my opinion there are 3 main areas that spurs need to improve on, those being a CB as cover for the injury prone Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate, a LM as we haven't had any strength and threat there for a good few years now and also another striker if rumours are to be believed that Jermain Defoe is the only safe forward. As with any other team, there are a lot of rumours in the press but I would love to see some truth in them regarding Ashley Young as he is the only player we have been linked with that I would love to see at Spurs!!

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Comments (8)

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Stu M (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I totally agree with Shawn H. It's easy to see where all the big names are are going to go this summer, man city plus the top 4.. so I'd like to see us grabbing the ones that remain below radar.. from here id like to see Mica Richards coming to spurs, also Kevin Nolan as cover for palacios, with Ashley Young/stewart Downing as a winger.Dont really want to see Robben at spurs, we just got rid of Ronaldo from this league, I was kinda looking forward to a season with no diving (hopefully Drogba will leave the league too!) As far as A forward goes, I can see Redknapps wife replacing bent and I think we should give Pav another year.

Posted 12:18 22nd June 2009

Sam Jarrold (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I have full confidence in Harry bringing the right players to the club, but Levy has to free up some cash if we want to mount a top 4 challenge. There are players who need to go but the likes of Huddlestone and Bentley still have lots of potential. We need to replace Bent and Pav with a proven premiership scorer (Ruud VN fits the bill). A strong center back to replace King during injury would be a big help... Sol Campbell? And top priority is to keep players such as Modric, Lennon and Jenas who have proved their worth!

Posted 12:08 22nd June 2009

Russell Higgins (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I think that Harry already has the nucleus of a quality squad and is in a position to ship out half a dozen players that could raise 30 million plus. A couple of shrewd signings and we can really push on. Richard Dunne has been mooted for about 5 million which would give us four quality centre halves and Downing for not much more than 10 million would strengthen the left hand side. If he could then go out and find a target man of the same ilk as Berbatov then I reckon were pretty much there. I think he should hold onto Bale, Dos Santos and Huddlestone. All three need a big season and should be given a chance.

Posted 11:06 22nd June 2009

Nathan Lacey (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I would agree with comments made previously, I would personally love to see Ashley Young in the lilywhite shirt, but I also feel that Palacios could do with a hand in the middle of the park. As we've seen in the past a good CM pairing is vital just look at the top 4, so it will be interesting to see what Messeurs Levy and Redknapp have up their sleeve, not sure about getting Downing in don't think he's what we need, but I would like to see if Scott Brown could be signed, if Alan Hutton is anything to go by it could be time to put our faith in some of the players north of the border.

Posted 14:21 21st June 2009

Jamie Marshall (Liverpool fan) says...

Spurs should focus first and foremost on shoring up their defence as currently they do not have a consistent defensive unit - Ledley King and Jonathon Woodgate are both highly injury-prone and are unlikely to last the whole season unscathed, while Heurelho Gomes is a liability - while he is capable of world-class saves he is just as capable of the sort of Barthez-esque howlers that proved so costly for Spurs at the beginning of last season. A move for Sebastien Basson would be a good one as he would be available for a knock-down price from Newcastle. While a decent left winger would be a welcome addition to the Spurs team it is the defence that cost them so many points last season and this has to be where 'Arry's focus lies this summer.

Posted 14:06 21st June 2009

Simon G (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

I would love to see Owen at spurs, the guy is still world class and a proven goal scorer,forget Ruud and bring in Owen cheap as chips! Deperate for a left midfielder with a bit of class.

Posted 10:03 21st June 2009

Nathan Bowles (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Al we really need is a couple of left sided midefeild players (arjen robben/Michael bastos) and then a skilful centre midfeilder to combat the brutalness of palacios. If we sell darren bent and pavlychenko then all we need is another striker from the transfer market and then to draft in jon obika as a bench player. Replacement for king would be good and thats all we really need as many of our players are stil farely young so we must persist and this new season with a bit of experince added i feel tottenham could be a major threat to the top four.

Posted 16:21 20th June 2009

Gavin Downham (Tottenham Hotspur fan) says...

Spurs have a good spine for the squad, but we need continuity in team selection. There are 3 quality centre halves if you add Dawson to King and Woody ; Bale has a great left foot, just needs confidence after his injury woes. Modric, Palacios and Lennon boss the rest of the midfield. There's goals galore in Keane and Defoe if they are given a good run in the 1st team. Who knows, even Gomes may prove a good signing after he found his feet in the 2nd half of the season. What all Spurs fans must do is trust in Harry. A bad start to a season saw Jol go and didn't he just prove what a good manager he is at Hamburg. Roll on Liverpool at WHL.

Posted 21:12 19th June 2009
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