Almost three months on from José Mourinho's arrival at Tottenham Hotspur, all the same questions are still being asked about a side who reached the Champions League final at the end of last season.
Compared to some of their Premier League rivals, it's not actually been the worst possible season for fans in north London. But ahead there's already been key changes in the first-team squad and more are still to come, with Mourinho crucially brought in to guide them into their post-Mauricio Pochettino era.
Things might get harder before fans start getting on the tube at Seven Sisters with a smile on their face regularly, but here's a few steps in the transfer market even Mourinho couldn't get wrong which Tottenham can take to make that transition as easy as possible.
Sign - Max Aarons
Norwich City's Max Aarons was one of Tottenham's main targets during the January transfer window, but it was little surprise that the Canaries were reluctant to offload the youngster last month as they battle against relegation.
Currently sitting seven points clear of safety and looking near-certain for the drop, Aarons will almost certainly be on the move at the end of the season.
Serge Aurier's continued to blow hot and cold under Mourinho this season, so bringing in another homegrown player who could start at right back for Tottenham for the next decade is an opportunity that's too good to miss.
The England Under-21 international apparently has an asking price of £15m which is unlikely to go down even if Norwich City do drop back into the Championship next season.
Sell - Victor Wanyama
It's been a good few years, but if there's any chance of taking that next step in the Premier League and challenging for the title itself, Tottenham will have to do it without Victor Wanyama.
The Kenya international has been a good servant for the club since his arrival in 2016, but with just four appearances to his name this season, Wanyama will be one player who is certainly facing the chopping block this summer.
Crucially for the club, Wanyama's contract runs out in just over 12 months so it will be Tottenham's last chance to sell the 28-year-old midfielder for a somewhat decent fee, as opposed to losing him for pennies in next season's winter transfer window.
Sign - Nico Elvedi
Mourinho wants a new centre back and there's already been a list of targets which have been drawn up.
Tottenham are one of the many clubs who've been tipped to make a move for Nathan Aké, while Rúben Dias and Dayot Upamecano have also been linked with a summer transfer since Mourinho's arrival in November.
But Mourinho shouldn't be sleeping on a possible move for Nico Elvedi, who plays his football for German club Borussia Mönchengladbach.
The Switzerland international revealed earlier this season that a clause has been activated which extends his contract until 2022, so Gladbach could be tempted to cash in at the end of the season as it will be their last chance to get full whack for Elvedi.
He's impressed mostly as a centre back in recent months, but Elvedi will also bring enough versatility to play out wide.
Sell - Hugo Lloris
It's never nice to think about selling your club captain, but Hugo Lloris' position is one of the few in Tottenham's first team where there is an obvious improvement that can be made this summer.
The France international has spent eight years in north London, making 311 appearances across all competitions which makes him Tottenham's most capped foreigner of all time and cementing his place as a genuine club legend.
But with mistakes creeping back into the 33-year-old's performances in recent seasons, Tottenham will have to make the tough decision to cut ties with a goalkeeper who could cost them points on any given matchday.
Sign - André Onana
Tottenham need players who can offer them an immediate improvement as well as longevity this summer, and there's no better options for a new goalkeeper than Ajax's André Onana.
Helped by his five-year spell in Barcelona's La Masia academy, the 23-year-old has been crucial in Ajax's success over the last 18 months and is already one of the most highly-rated goalkeepers in European football.
He's got a contract until 2022, but Ajax have already put the wheels in motion for youth team stars Dominik Kotarski and Kjell Scherpen to step up into the first team next season in preparation for Onana's move elsewhere.
Sell - Eric Dier
Just like Wanyama, Eric Dier will be entering the last year of his contract next season.
The 26-year-old has already lost his place in Mourinho's starting lineup to Harry Winks and Giovani Lo Celso, so Tottenham will be looking to offload Dier this summer to avoid losing him for next to nothing in January or on a free transfer in 2021.
Dier's versatility and passion has been important since he joined the club from Sporting CP in 2014, but it's clear that the England international's future lies elsewhere if Spurs want to take a step forward.
Maybe Spurs can loan him back for two games every season just to get on Arsenal fans' nerves during the north London derby?
Sign - Boubakary Soumaré
Tottenham should be in the market for a new defensive midfielder this summer and they'd be hard-pressed to find a more exciting player to fill that role that Lille OSC's Boubakary Soumaré.
The former Paris Saint-Germain academy star is already performing well above anyone else in his position in Ligue 1, with Soumaré apparently attracting interest from the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea during the January transfer window.
It's not just Soumaré's ability to instantly improve Tottenham's first team which should have him at the top of their transfer wishlist either, as the defensive stability that he'll bring will give both Winks and Lo Celso the freedom to make an impact further forward.
Sell - Érik Lamela
Six down, one to go.
Érik Lamela is the last surviving player from Tottenham's spending spree in the immediate aftermath of Gareth Bale's transfer to Real Madrid, becoming their club-record signing - level with Roberto Soldado - in a €30m deal from Roma.
It hasn't been all bad for the 27-year-old either. His rabona goal against Asteras Tripolis will be spoken about for a generation, but six years on and fans are still waiting for Lamela to reach his full potential.
With a contract in north London until 2022, it's going to be now or never for the club if they're wanting to recoup a decent fee for the Argentina international.
Sign - Fedor Chalov
Mourinho tried to use Troy Parrott's inexperience as a bargaining chip during the January transfer window - it sort of worked too, with Steven Bergwijn coming in from PSV Eindhoven - but Spurs are in a really tough spot when it comes to attracting a new striker.
That's nothing against the club itself. There's a state of the art stadium and one of the most talented squads in Europe, but Tottenham more than any other club on the planet can't offer regular football for new strikers as long as Harry Kane in on their books.
If age really is a problem for Mourinho, then any up and coming wonderkids would be pointless acquisitions. But in CSKA Moscow's Fedor Chalov, Tottenham could get their hands on an established striker who still has room to grow.
The 21-year-old will need to be snapped up quickly though. His performances with CSKA have slowed down this season, but Chalov could really drive up his price with an impressive showing for Russia at Euro 2020 this summer.
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Source :
90min
