It is obvious, painfully obvious in fact, that Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur need a big summer transfer window to change the fortunes of the club.
It is plain and simple – the overall squad is not good enough to compete on the level we now require of this football club.
Naturally, your brain does wonder. Maybe this will be the summer Daniel Levy sits down, gets his wallet out, and breaks the bank with eye-watering players that transform the club into the upper echelons of European football.
Yeah, that won’t happen. But what can happen is that I can now list five marquee (unrealistic) signings that would improve this squad dramatically.
Paulo Dybala
This love story dates back to the summer of 2019: the famous transfer saga which, to no surprise, had a bitter ending.
Dybala seemed destined for a big-money move to North London, but image rights – yes, image rights – of around £14 million shut negotiations down.
That window we spent that money needed for Dybala on Jack Clarke, who has accumulated 51 minutes since his arrival. Still hurts.
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The Argentine has fallen out of favour at Juventus: his 2020/2021 season has been full of injuries and off the field issues. The 27-year-old has the talent, experience and the sparkle to become an excellent bolster to Spurs’ attacking line-up.
This would cost a lot of money, no doubt, but what a signing this would be. He’s an excellent player that needs a new club.
Gianluigi Donnarumma
With club captain Hugo Lloris not getting older, or better, Spurs, for the first time since 2012, might have to dip into the market for a first-team goalkeeper.
Donnarumma would be dream-like. The Italian is 22-years-old with over 240 appearances for AC Milan and 25 for Italy – an absurd amount of experience for someone his age.
He is well on his way to the path of greatness, but he is out of contract this summer and the eagles are circling. If Spurs could pull this off, their goalkeeper position could be secured for the next 10 years.
Milan Skriniar
This one is a tad more on the realistic side, as it was a hot saga in the summer just passed but Spurs never quite landed the 26-year-old (The Guardian).
Centre-half is a position that Spurs are, in all honesty, desperate for some quality in. Skriniar is exactly this: a physical, confident leader that brings a certain steel and class at the back.
However, this deal will be even harder to pull off this time around – Inter Milan are on course to win the Serie A and will qualify for the Champions League, which would mean that the Slovakian would be technically stepping down.
Mourinho’s pull, right?
Raphinha
Raphinha is so, so good. His stats for Leeds this season — six goals and six assists — may lead you down the path of believing he is not one of the best wingers in the division.
But even if you’ve watched twenty minutes of him this season, you’ll understand. The slick first touch, electric pace, and underrated final ball – the Brazilian will be at the top of the game in no time.
If Spurs were to accept the Bale fairytale is over and prize Raphinha off Bielsa – they may have just found the perfect man to join Kane and Son’s double act.
Unlikely, though.
Jules Kounde
Back to centre-half now — and Jules Kounde from Sevilla would be an excellent acquisition.
He is the prototype for a modem defender: he is not big and powerful but versatile, flexible and athletic.
The Frenchman is a key competent in Lopetegui’s Sevilla side who won the Europa League last season and are now in the race for a Champions League spot in La Liga.
His CV and ability on the pitch make the fact he is 22-year-old means one thing: he’s a big target for Europe’s elite.
What a coup this would be.
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