Transfer Window Recap – Are we satisfied?

Another transfer window has passed and once again many Spurs fans are calling for Levy to quit. Before we make rush decisions on the future of our board and/or our manager lets review our transfer activity incoming and outgoing.

Departures:

1. Paulinhio: The underachieving midfielder departed for a reported fee of around 10 million pounds heading to China and Guangzou to team up with former Brazil head coach Scolari and Brazil team mate Robinhio.
2. Lewis Holtby: A Spurs player that featured more in our YouTube channel rather on the pitch, we received around 4.6 million pounds from Hamburg and should be satisfied from all aspects of this transfer.
3.  Etienne Capoue: Another underachieving player sold to Watford for 7 million pounds. Started brightly under AVB, lost his place under Sherwood and Poch, another departure that seems justified.
4. Younes Kaboul: After another disappointing season plagued by injuries and poor form and eventually frozen out, we sold him to Sunderland for 3 million pounds.
5. Benjamin Stambouli: In one of the most bizarre transfers of the window, Benji could not get his barrings in England and sat out most of his one season at Spurs, we then sold him for 6 million pounds to PSG for a small profit.
6. Vlad Chiriches: Another one who started life in England with potential, but ended in disappointment, Vlad was sold to Napoli for 4.5 million pounds.
7. Roberto Soldado: Bobby came to Spurs with a goal scoring record of a proven hit man, but proved to be a massive flop in that department. His social media, obvious talents and the fact that he gave every match a go made him a fan favorite to some, but his departure was inevitable, moving back to Spain and Villarreal for 10 million pounds.
8. Aaron Lennon: The pacey winger was obviously not in the plans of Poch not even having a shirt number and completed a move to Everton for around 4.5 million pounds.
9. Emmanuel Adebayor: FINALLY HE IS…NOOOOO! FFS JUST GO!
10. Erik Lamela: Wait… Oh well i guess worth another shot? (At least we will know who is leaving for certain before official confirmation)

We also sent a few youngster on loan like rainbow flick master Nathan Oduwa and Dominic Ball to Rangers, De Andre Yedlin to Sunderland and Grant Ward to Rotherham.

Arrivals

1. Toby Alderweireld: Joined us from Athletico Madrid for around 11.5 million after a solid debut season in England with Southampton, we wish he can reignite his central defense partnership with Jan from their Ajax days. He is also a full international for Belgium with 48 appearances under his belt. He is also extremely versatile playing at CB, RB (mainly for Belgium) and DM.
2. Kevin Wimmer: Joined us from FC Koln, another CB with potential that will have to prove his way into the starting line up. He enjoyed a solid first season in Bundesliga and joined us for 4.3 million. Also an international with Austria, although he only has 2 appearances so far for his country.
3. Kieran Trippier: One of the few bright sparks in a Burnley side that last year went down without putting in a real fight, we got him for what i regard personally a steal of 3.5 million pounds. A RB that can attack as well as he can defend, he comes to provide competition for Kyle Walker and try to win his place in the starting XI.
4. Clinton N’Jie: A mostly unknown yet exciting young talent, the only real Spurs deal of the window, Clinton comes in as a CF who can also play out wide. His stats of 7 goals and 8 assists in 30 appearances last year for Lyon and 6 goals in 11 appearances for Cameroon (per Transfermarkt.com) show a player that can be great for us, hopefully he will be.
5. Heung-Min Son: A purchase that is as exciting as it was surprising, another Bundesliga star joined as for a reported fee of 22 million pounds, the South Korean international can operate in any of the attacking midfield positions and as a striker and will hopefully add pace and clinical finishing that we seemed to lack so far.
6. Saido Berahino: Oh wait…come on not again!

To summarize, i personally expected to finish the window without Emanuel Adebayor, a proper back up for Harry Kane and a stronger defense (including a natural DM) so on first sight this window has gone awfully wrong. But even though these needs have not been met, i’m still satisfied and excited. Our defense on paper looks solid and given time i hope they will gel well and provide a solid obstacle to opposition attackers. Keeping Lloris was vital and providing him with capable defenders in front of him should decrease the humiliating return of 53 goals conceded last year. In DM, Eric Dier has taken that position with solid performances (except his Everton performance which was outstanding), but what worries me is the lack of a natural DM and the depth of players who have the attributes to play there. Further ahead the additions of Clinton, Son and Dembele being given a right sided wide position in which he has looked as a menace to opposition defenses are looking like very good business. A back up to Kane has not been directly addressed, except for Clinton who operates naturally as a striker, but he is unproven. Even though that worries me a bit, i won’t judge the decision not to sign another attacker until I’ve seen who is going to deputize for Kane ( In pre-season it was Nacer Chadlli, hopefully it won’t be Nacer from now on) and how well he gets on. There are areas that we still need to address, the DM situation is too risky even for us, but i’m still hopeful for a good season. For me, after the players settle in and perform as well as the can, this is my most likely starting line up:

Lloris

Walker              Toby          Jan           Rose

Dier            Bentaleb

Dembele             Eriksen              Son

Kane

What do you think? Should we have pushed harder for some players, are we good enough or should we open the check book in January?