'Absolute mess' - Alan Shearer names how many signings Tottenham need this summer as priority named

Alan Shearer has argued Tottenham Hotspur will require as many as five signings this summer as Ange Postecoglou looks to build on his first season at the club.

Spurs enjoyed a strong start to the current campaign, going unbeaten in their opening ten matches, though four successive defeats have left the Lilywhites facing an uphill battle to secure Champions League qualification.

Postecoglou's side endured an afternoon to forget at Anfield on Sunday, finding themselves four goals down in the second half, though Spurs rallied to put two back after strikes from Richarlison and Son Heung-min.

The Spurs boss has continued to stress the project he inherited remains a work in progress, though Shearer is of the view plenty needs sorting out this summer if Tottenham are to start challenging for silverware and the upper echelons of the Premier League.

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“I know they came back into it a bit, Tottenham, but it was too little too late," said the former Newcastle United striker on The Rest Is Football Podcast of the 4-2 Anfield defeat. "They are an absolute mess at the back, they are conceding goals for fun. As soon as they lose the ball, they are so easy to play against. Their injuries haven’t helped, but they’re just not good enough and they need new players in. For the way the manager wants to play, they need another three, four, five players at least to try and get to where they want to be."

Discussing Spurs' priorities in the transfer market, Shearer added: “I think they need a centre-forward: they’ve got Johnson, Richarlison, Son, Kulusevski. I understand all of that, but I do think they need a centre-forward. I also think they need a bit of quality in midfield. They have got legs but they need quality. I won’t take that back, I think they need four or five players to get into the Champions League.”

In agreement with the above assessment, Micah Richards added: “They are entertaining. I think Spurs have done brilliantly this season, but they just look like they have run out of steam. Alan is right: In terms of how they want to play, they need more players. Not necessarily massive, better quality, it is just to keep the intensity in the game.

"As a whole, I think Spurs have been entertaining. But when you keep conceding from crosses, for all they have done good, they still need to improve on the defending as it’s not good enough."