Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
FERDINAND: SPURS AREN’T BROKEN, SO WHY MAKE PANIC BUYS?
LES FERDINAND has waded in over Tottenham’s summer on the transfer sidelines, insisting: “Spurs aren’t broken – so what’s the panic?”
As Mauricio Pochettino’s stars prepare to kick off their season against Newcastle, Ferdinand – who played for both clubs – reckons Rafa Benitez has more to worry about than his Argentinian rival.
Toon fans are desperate for new faces to help them survive in the Premier League and former Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid boss Benitez has grown steadily more frustrated with owner Mike Ashley over a lack of transfer market activity.
But Ferdinand remains calm about Tottenham’s inactivity in the market.
“Everyone is going on about Spurs not signing anyone,” he said. “But chairman Daniel Levy is notorious for doing his business in the last week of
the window. So I’m sure Spurs will bring in someone, but if you look at the team, if it ain’t broken, why fix it?
“They are in a strong position and don’t need to bring someone in just for the sake of doing it.
“If they sign someone, it’s got to be a player who is going to add to what they have already got.”
And Ferdinand (right) – who had a six-year spell at Spurs after leaving Newcastle and is now Director of Football at QPR – was not particularly impressed with Tottenham’s business last summer.
“Vincent Janssen and
Moussa Sissoko came in – you have to ask yourself what impact did they have?” he said. It was the boys who were already there who did it.
“There is a team there and it is hard to improve it. I understand everyone saying they need to bring in another striker alongside Harry Kane, but Heung-min Son scored 20-odd goals last season.
“If you look at the rest of the team, they let Kyle Walker go, but that was good business. Kieran Trippier came in at the back end of last season and
Walker was struggling to get back in.” While Spurs need silverware, for newly-promoted Newcastle the immediate concern is more basic — survival.
Ferdinand has a place in his heart for both clubs. “I was brought up as a Spurs supporter,” he said. “But I’ve always said that, if they were going to lose to anyone, I wouldn’t mind it being Newcastle.”