Pochettino targets early summer deals

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR manager Mauricio Pochettino has strongly hinted that his side are set to carry out their transfer business early this summer in a change to their usual routine of making signings late in the window.

The North London side believe they can get some bargains if they can bring in players before the World Cup in Russia gets underway on June 14.

Now chief scout Steve Hitchen is working on providing chairman Daniel Levy with a list of names as Spurs look into bring fresh talent in order to keep with title winners Manchester City next season.

“We are working with Steve,” said Pochettino. “The World Cup only can confirm your idea about a player.

“It is so dangerous to go and scout players in the World Cup because if a player is good, how after are you going to sign him?

“Sometimes you need to anticipate and say ‘OK this player can be good for us’ and then he goes to the World Cup. But you need to sign before the tournament starts because he is doing well and then you will have a lot of competition if they are good.

“We are thinking and trying to anticipate because it will be difficult if not at the World Cup.”

Tottenham may be all but guaranteed fourth place ahead of tonight’s trip to Brighton and Hove Albion but it has been a season where they have not always lived up to Pochettino’s high standards.

Now the Argentinian wants them to learn from their mistakes early on in their time at Wembley Stadium by enjoying a successful start to life at the new White Hart Lane although he does have concerns with the first few away fixtures of 2018-19 expected to be away from home due to the delay in building work.

The biggest problem is reducing the gap to City, a side who beat them easily at Wembley 3-1 on Saturday night on their way to securing the title a day later.

“Of course it is difficult to compete with City,” Pochettino said. “It is not easy. It’s not all about money in football, that is true. But it helps a lot. It’s not that if you’re a billionaire you’re going to be happy, but sure that helps a lot. In football it’s the same.

“Sometimes there are many questions about how we reduce the gap and how we compete better or reach the level of Manchester City. It is impossible to answer that. But it is not impossible (to win the title next season). We need to start better.” Brighton v Tottenham, live,

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