Tottenham Hotspur are willing to make some big moves to disprove something Ange Postecoglou said a few months ago.
After the end of last season, several senior Tottenham figures, including the club’s CEO Vinai Venkatesham, promised Spurs fans that the club would change how they operate in the transfer market.
They are now backing up their words with action, with Jan Paul van Hecke becoming Tottenham’s third signing of the summer on Thursday, following the arrivals of Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson.
Reports indicate that Spurs are expected to continue their summer spending spree as they seek to completely rebuild their squad ahead of De Zerbi’s first full season in charge.
Tottenham are willing to prove Ange Postecoglou wrong on £100m claim
In an appearance on the Stick to Football podcast back in February, the former Tottenham boss aimed a pointed criticism at the North London club hierarchy.
Postecoglou suggested that Spurs are never willing to spend £100m on one player like some of their rivals do, which makes it harder to compete against the likes of Arsenal and Man City.
He said: “You know, I was looking at Pedro Neto and [Bryan] Mbeumo and [Antoine] Semenyo at the time, and Marc Guehi. I said we need, if we’re going to go from fifth to [challenging at the top], that’s what the other big clubs would do in that moment.
“Those three teenagers [Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert] are outstanding young players and I think they’ll be great players for Tottenham, but they’re not [the signings] to get you from fifth to fourth and third.
“But what was coming out from the club was that ‘no, we’re a club that can compete on all fronts’.”
Ange Postecoglou added: “I still felt like, you know, Tottenham as a club was saying ‘we’re one of the big boys’ and the reality is I don’t think they are in terms of my experience over the last two years of how they act,” he said.
“When Arsenal need players, they’ll spend a hundred million on Declan Rice. I don’t see Tottenham doing that. Maybe now, I don’t know. But not, not in, not just my history, even predating me.
“And a lot of that was, okay, they were building a stadium, so obviously finances were a challenge. I guess the bit I didn’t realise was just how much Champions League football makes a difference and I think that’s why there was always this desperation, because that provided the kitty, you know.
“So that means my first year, they finished eighth the year before. We lost Harry two days before we played Brentford in the first game. I’ve got to try and that’s a tall order. It’s a tough one. We almost got there. I mean, if it was fifth any other year, that probably would have been [enough].
“And if we did, maybe last year, we wouldn’t have bought three teenagers. But I still don’t think, it’s not the transfer fee, the wages to really attract. I mean, when was the last time Tottenham really signed somebody and you go ‘wow’?”
However, according to various sources over the last few days, Tottenham are now pushing hard to land Sandro Tonali, who is allegedly valued at £100m by Newcastle.
In fact, journalist Alfredo Pedulla has even claimed that Spurs are willing to pay the Magpies’ asking price for Tonali in a deal which would shatter their current transfer record.
The Tottenham hierarchy may thus be about to prove Postecoglou wrong as they attempt to give De Zerbi the resources he needs to compete at the top end of the Premier League.
Tottenham are also looking at Mateus Fernandes, whose £85m price tag would also shatter Tottenham’s transfer record.
Roberto De Zerbi is quietly confident about what Spurs can achieve next season
Following two successive 17th-placed finishes, the expectations surrounding Tottenham are as low as they have ever been.
Given the ambition the club are showing in the transfer market, Spurs fans will be hoping that they can push back up towards the European slots, particularly with the luxury of no European competition next season.
According to journalist Ben Jacobs, De Zerbi privately feels that Tottenham can challenge for Champions League qualification next season if the club strenthen their squad as planned this summer.
- READ MORE: Tottenham have ‘serious competition’ for Sandro Tonali but Spurs have held ‘productive talks’