It’s not Fab yet
WARNING: Fabianski LUKASZ FABIANSKI has played down the hype surrounding West Ham.
The Hammers keeper needs no reminding how tough the Premier League is after being relegated with Swansea last term.
Fabianski was thrown a top flight lifeline after joining for £7m, one of a host of summer signings at the London Stadium.
West Ham spent a club record £40m for Felipe Anderson while Jack Wilshere and Andryi Yarmolenko also joined.
There is an air of optimism under new boss Manuel Pellegrini but Fabianski has played down the rising expectations.
He said: “You can see there is quality in the group. Hopefully we’ll get better with every game and will be ready for the season.
“But you can’t get carried away. There’s a few new players here and we are getting used to each other.
“As a footballer, you have to be prepared for all the different periods you’re going to go through.
“When you’re in the Premier League I think it’s the toughest competition.”
MAURICIO POCHETTINO has been promised his transfer funds won’t be cut to finance Tottenham’s new stadium.
Spurs fans saw neighbours Arsenal struggle to match their rivals as their spending power shrank following their switch to the Emirates in 2006.
And there are fears Spurs, who have yet to sign a player this summer, could also lose ground with a similar lack of investment after moving to their £850m new stadium. But executive director Donna-Maria Cullen (below) yesterday shot down suggestions that funding the 62,000-seat stadium is the reason for a lack of signings. Cullen, one of chairman Daniel Levy’s closest colleagues, said: “We have always operated on a fairly prudent basis.
“The whole notion of us moving to an increased capacity stadium is to collect the greater revenues from matchday that all of the other top six clubs have been enjoying for many more years than ourselves. Everything we do is about investing in the first team.”
Pochettino signed a five-year deal at the end of last season with the promise he would have money to spend.
But Levy is refusing to break the bank to sign Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha or Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish.
Asked if Levy was reluctant to spend on new signings, Cullen added: “That is a misconception. Daniel works closely with the managers. He identifies targets, works to get them. We are no different to other clubs in occasionally not being able to acquire who might be top of your list. Mauricio is relaxed.”
Pochettino, whose Spurs team complete their US tour against AC Milan today, will now be targeting midfield reinforcements after his injury crisis deepened.
Victor Wanyama has returned home with a knee problem and Moussa Sissoko (hamstring) also faces a spell out.
Harry Winks (ankle) will miss the start of the season while Eric Dier and Mousa Dembele are not due to return until August 6 after World Cup involvement.