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Ange Postecoglou fires warning over Tottenham squad ahead of summer window: 'Nowhere near it'

Ange Postecoglou fires warning over Tottenham squad ahead of summer window: 'Nowhere near it'

Ange Postecoglou says his Tottenham's squad is not "anywhere near" where it needs to be and doubts he will be satisfied even after the summer transfer window.

Spurs have signed 10 new players in two windows under Postecoglou and they are expected to be busy again in the summer.

The club has progressed with unexpected speed since the Australian's appointment in June, but Postecoglou dismissed the suggestion his squad would be ready to meet his demands with one or two big summer signings.

"No. We’ve got a lot of work to do still on the squad and I don’t think we’re anywhere near where we want to be," Postecoglou said ahead of Sunday's trip to Aston Villa. "It probably will take a little bit more than three windows to get there, for sure.

"Just in terms of the robustness, adaptability and compatibility of the squad, I think there’s still a fair bit of change we need to do.

"I certainly don’t think we’re one or two players away from getting to where I want us to be, nowhere near it. Some of that will be natural evolution.

"Some of it hopefully means we continue to get the improvement we’ve had this year from some of our players. If that happens over the next 12 months, then yeah we’ll be in a great position.

"But you’ve got to remember, a lot of our group are in their first year of the Premier League. A good chunk of them have been ever-presents, we need them to keep improving at the rate they are.

James Maddison was one of Tottenham’s signings last summer (AFP via Getty Images)
James Maddison was one of Tottenham’s signings last summer (AFP via Getty Images)

"We’ve still got a lot of work to do with the squad. I think we’re a long way away from having one or two players away from getting where we want to.

"[The number of summer signings] depends on availability of players, suitability of players… there could be more activity, there could be less activity.

"But what we want to do is make sure we bring in the right ones. Maybe we do only bring in one or two, I don’t know. But that will only be because we think there are only one or two that suitable for what we’re looking for. But that doesn’t mean we’ll be where I want us to be."

Chelsea and Sunday's opponents Villa are among Spurs' top-flight rivals at risk of breaching the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules after announcing big losses this week, but Spurs are in a robust financial position, which is expected to be reflected when their own accounts are published this month.

Postecoglou believes the club has a potential advantage over their rivals but only if they continue to make good decisions in the market.

“I would agree with that perspective but I have always felt with those things it is not what you spent, it is how you spend it," he said.

"I have always believed that and will continue to believe that. You are right the club will be in a great position from a financial perspective to continue to grow our team but if we make bad decisions, we don’t have an advantage.

"Even if you are not in that position, you can still make progress, it is still about decisions you make with what you have. I agree we are in a position where there is an opportunity for us in the summer window to continue to build a team."

Ange Postecoglou is not expecting Spurs to break transfer records (Getty Images)
Ange Postecoglou is not expecting Spurs to break transfer records (Getty Images)

Spurs have previously been unwilling or unable to compete with their big-six rivals for the most expensive players, but Postecoglou was asked whether that dynamic was now shifting,

The Spurs boss said: "To a certain extent but I don’t think we are in a position to spend £100million on a player, if that is what you are suggesting.

"That is not the case and I don’t think it will ever be the case for the club. Our competitors are, irrespective of the positions.

"When you look at our two transfer windows so far we have done really well to pitch it to the level that we need to pitch it and bringing in real quality players who have all increased in value since they have been here. There is more to come from that. The premise that we are in a good position, I agree with, but it is up to us to take advantage of that."

And pushed on why Spurs would never be in a position to sign a player for £100m, Postecoglou conceded he could be wrong.

“It is purely financial," he said. "If I had the luxury of £100m, I would rather get two £50m players. Cor that is great, isn’t it? Wonderful. The world I have come from!

"[But me saying that] could be my background and conservative nature where I have come from. I have never been in that kind of position, I always felt that it is really important how you use the funds you have available, knowing they are not limitless.

"I try to put limits on my wife’s spending and they try to put limits on mine. It works better that way, just a bit of advice."