Pochettino: I won’t panic if we don’t sign anyone
MAURICIO POCHETTINO is adamant he will not be disappointed if Tottenham fail to make any signings for a second straight transfer window. Spurs have signed only Lucas Moura in the past 15 months and it would be decidedly underwhelming if they went into the second half of the campaign without any reinforcements for their promising Premier League and Champions League assaults. Danny Rose said after the draw with Barcelona on Tuesday that the club would probably not bring in any players during the winter window but Pochettino insists, publicly at least, that he would not be disheartened if he started February with the same squad as now. ‘No, not disappointed,’ he said when asked how he would feel if they failed to land a new player. ‘I know that January is always difficult. If you find some player, look what has happened to different players who arrive in January. It takes time to understand and to perform, to fit with the team. Sometimes it’s better not to sign if you don’t find the right player.’ Meanwhile, Pochettino has pointed Kyle Walker Peters towards mistakes made by his more established team-mates after an error in his first Champions League start let in Ousmane Dembele to give Barcelona the lead in their 1-1 draw. The 21-year-old was mortified by the blunder but he has been heavily supported by Pochettino ahead of what may be his first Premier League start of the season against Burnley today, with Kieran Trippier and Serge Aurier struggling with groin injuries. ‘I was so happy with his performance,’ Pochettino said. ‘Look what happened against PSV, Toby (Alderweireld), or Juan Foyth the other day (against Arsenal) or Trippier in the City game, or Barcelona the same with Hugo (Lloris). ‘All the players can struggle sometimes but the most important thing is to see the big picture and he was very good. ‘For me, what pleased the most in his performance was that from the beginning he started very well, he suffered in this action, and then we conceded but he played really well. I am so happy and so proud of how he managed the pressure. I am very pleased and I (think) very highly of him.’