Transfer Reality Check

What with the rumour mill going absolutely insane, I thought I'd introduce a dangerous concept: What about if we don't sign 10 new players this year?

Just for a second let's ignore all the paper talk and look at the messages coming directly from the club. Harry stated at the end of the season that he was looking to bring in 3 players. He has also suggested since then that the Arabs have nicked 2 of those in the form of Barry and Santa Cruz. More recently we have been told that we are not going to be buying players for the sake of it and that any arrivals must 'improve the squad' (as opposed to making us worse one presumes). So a report I read recently suggesting that "every player but 3 are available for sale" seems about as likely as Macaulay Culkin sending flowers to the Jackson family.

We have been linked with everybody from second rate youth keepers to world superstars in the last month, but it's still looking quiet on the Western Front. I don't think Harry is in any rush whatsoever, and based on our end of season run in I think he's right not to be. I actually think the current squad is one of the best we've had in years.

In a way we need to be encouraged by the lack of activity. Letting the big guns lay out all their millions on the cream of the crop is good for teams like Spurs who, if we're being honest, are second tier these days. As players come in to the Champions League outfits, the current incumbents are likely to start to get very edgy about their first team prospects, and in a World Cup year might be more tempted to consider their options rather than sit on their fat contracts. This year I actually think that waiting until August could be a good thing for us because when the league kicks off these newly marginalised players might start scrambling for the exit doors - at which point playing for Tottenham might not seem such an awful proposition after all.

Strikers:
I believe we'll only sign a striker if we sell one, and I think the only one likely to be sold is Bent. Robbie Keane playing for 3 clubs in 12 months? I can't see it, and Pav will not be sold for the simple reason that we won't be able to get anyone better than him. I'm convinced the boy is class, and with a bit of a break and a decent pre-season I think we're going to see him explode - I'd love to see that blossoming partnership with JD re-established. Hiddink rates him highly, and that's a pretty solid referral.

So if Bent is out, who's in? Not Bellamy that's for sure, so we can relax about that. Whoever we buy will be a way down the pecking order and Mr. Angry won't like that. Also, I can't see us getting another shortie. I actually think these Berg rumours have substance as a young bloke like him might not be too unhappy about a bit of squad rotation. However, if Levy dicks about over the fee for another month we'll undoubtedly lose out to Hamburg.

If it's not him I'm certain it will be another big man, Crouch or Carew? I'd be distinctly underwhelmed, but ultimately unsurprised - hardly significant improvements are they?

Verdict: A strict one out, one in policy.

Midfield:
All except Lennon are up for sale - what bollocks. Wilson is obviously going nowhere and nor is Modders. I'd also be hugely surprised if we sell Jenas - in fact, to round off this set of bold statements I'd also be surprised if we sold Bentley. Can you see Levy taking a £10m hit on him after one season? I'd kind of like Bentley to stay - he's a good player and if he can turn it around it would be like a new signing. I want to see the best of him in a Spurs shirt and that hasn't happened yet (apart from that goal).

Harry is surely after another tough tackling CM. He does like to play with two tough guys in the middle and now Zokora has gone a new CM/DM type player must be a nailed on cert. I wouldn't be surprised to see Huddlestone go too. He's got talent certainly, but I heard he's a lazy trainer and I suspect that gets Harry all twitchy. Prime suspects are currently Cattermole, Veloso and Cana, but most of this looks like agent bullshit or rehashed stories to me. If I must pick one then Cattermole appears the most "Harry like" signing but I expect the list of candidates to grow over the next couple of weeks.

On the left I think we can forget about Young and Robben and any number of nobodies touted as "the best left midfielder in France". I'm absolutely convinced Downing will be a Spurs player before long, and what's more I don't think that's a bad thing. He's a club captain, has a great left foot, is a fantastic passer of the ball, decent at dead balls etc. I think that where we are at the moment, Downing is as good as we can hope for - four England managers in a row have seen something they like about him so he can't be that bad! Obviously I'd prefer Joe Cole, but I expect he'll want £80k a week and experience tells me Levy won't go for that.

Verdict: Downing's a yid plus a mystery tough guy.

Defence:
Talk of Heinze seems to have evaporated, which is a shame as I think he'd have been a superb signing to bridge the gap until BAE and Bale mature. However its not disastrous as we're OK in this department. Hutton, Charlie, King, Woody, BAE, Bale, Chimbo, Dawson, Gunter - let's face it, we have plenty of cover for anywhere across the back 4. Can't see Harry spunking £10m on a back up for King (read: Bassong) when we already have Corluka and Dawson.

Verdict: Experienced LB wheeled and dealed if one pops up - don't hold your breath.

By my reckoning that makes Downing, a DM you've probably never heard of, a striker you won't be pleased with and maybe a left back past his prime. Try to control your excitement!

I suppose we're used to seeing mass comings and goings every summer, but breaking that habit and letting the team develop would be no bad thing. So even if we do end up signing nobody trouser-bulgingly exciting, take some comfort... we weren't exactly too shabby at the end of last season so would it really be a disaster to kick on with what we have now plus a couple of "squad" players?