The summer transfer window is a time of upheavel and change in football. Apparently Tottenham Hotspur didn't get the memo in 2018.
Follow Us
Tottenham Hotspur have, in recent years, become one of English football’s sides that consistently challenge for European football. This was a trend that began taking shape under manager Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine manager’s excellent coaching had Spurs punching above their weight on a more than consistent basis. Yet it is fair to say that he probably didn’t always get the backing he wanted or needed in the transfer market. Spurs pride themselves on being self-sustainable, meaning they spend what they earn. As such, generating revenue from transfer outgoings is what can and often does shape their budget. Never was this more evident than in 2018. Why? Because the club signed absolutely no one in the summer window.
That’s right. It seems incredulous to think of even now, but there wasn’t a single incoming that year. And the effects of it are still being felt today.
Three years on, let’s look back at the circumstances that led to this taking place.
The 2021 transfer window saw many, many, MANY notable deals take place. This is despite the fact that clubs were feeling the pinch of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Anyway, in 2018 Spurs were facing a very different kind of situation. The club found it difficult to move on some players. And there were also the small matter of the new stadium being built.
Publicly, there were expectations that some signings would be made. After all, Spurs were establishing themselves as consistent top 4 contenders at that point.
Even looking to stay in that position would have required some degree of squad strengthening. The likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal all lurked in the background, as did clubs like Leicester City.
Pochettino had done wonders with the squad at hand, but he was not a miracle worker. Every manager needs to gradually refresh their squad every few years.
That, of course, did not end up happening.
As such, Spurs became the first side in history to sign no one since the introduction of the transfer window. In public, however, the club were defiant they made the write decision.
In a meeting with the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters Trust, chairman Daniel Levy said the decision made sense. The minutes of the meeting, uploaded on the Trusts’ website, made that clear.
“Daniel Levy explained that the club had based the summer window on certain assumptions that some players might be leaving and certain targets would be available,” read the minutes.
“Mauricio Pochettino didn’t want to sign someone for the sake of it. He felt there were sufficient players in the squad, and that those coming back from injury would be like new signings.
“Daniel Levy said that, concerning budgets, the stadium won’t directly impact on the transfer policy. There is a certain amount earmarked for transfers and the club can only spend what is available.”
Levy made clear that Pochettino didn’t want to sign someone for the sake of it. Yet, it was Spurs’ transfer policy that eventually led to the relationship between the two deteriorating – and led to a downturn in results too.
Everyone remembers that Tottenham Hotspur reached the Champions League final at the end of the season. What less people remember is that their league form nosedived, and they just about hung on to fourth place.
The poor form continued on in 2019 – despite Spurs actually signing some players. This is because the players they wanted to move on mostly ended up staying.
As such, the squad refresh that was long overdue ended up not happening. Spurs’ results continued to nosedive. And Pochettino lost his job.
After Levy sacked Pochettino, he brought in Jose Mourinho to replace him. The Special One couldn’t help them to a Top 4 finish in 2020, but he did receive plenty of backing in the summer window.
Yet that wasn’t enough to prevent him getting the sack either. He took them to the League Cup final but league form – once again – nosedived.
Now, with Nuno Espirito Santo at the helm, the club are hopeful of another rebuild taking them back to the Champions League spots sooner rather than later.
The issue with this, of course, is that clubs above them are now in a significant position of strength.
Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea and Liverpool are well established as the league’s new Top 4. Leicester City are currently in the position Spurs were at, as a side who can cause top sides issues aplenty.
Will Spurs ever get back to that position? It remains to be seen.
