No signings, no problem, says confident Eriksen
ORLANDO: Christian Eriksen is adamant Tottenham Hotspur’s lack of action in the transfer market this summer will not hamper manager Mauricio Pochettino’s push for the Premier League title. While Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea have all spent vast amounts in the last few weeks, Tottenham have brought in no fresh faces to boost a squad who’ve gone close to landing the championship for the past two campaigns.
Indeed, the North London side have been left weaker with England full-back Kyle Walker signing for City coach Pep Guardiola last week in a £50 million ($65 million) deal while Eric Dier, the English international, continues to be courted by Manchester United.
Yet Danish midfielder Eriksen, who has seen great upheaval of playing personnel over his five years at Tottenham, believes the Argentine manager is cleverly and patiently building a squad who are aiming to go one better when the Premier League season starts next month.
“I don’t think you need to spend to win anything,” said the 25-year-old former Ajax midfielder ahead of today’s International Champions Cup game against Paris St. Germain at the Camping World Stadium. “It’s just a matter of how you see a team, how the players are - only Walker has left in our team and we know what we did last season so I can’t see why we shouldn’t be able to do hopefully even better. “I think it will be very close this season because everyone is in Europe and everyone has to think about two or three tournaments and the top sides will want to win everything so the key is to try and keep everyone fit and sharp.” Manchester United have already spent £100 million while Chelsea have just paid Real Madrid £58 million for striker Alvaro Morata.
SPENDING ‘AN ENGLISH THING’
But Eriksen added: “It’s an English thing where you have to spend money to win something apparently. “But also I read something from the gaffer where he said our club are just different compared to other clubs in that we don’t spend as much money as them. “When I came (to the club) there were seven new players at the same time and you saw how that ended and now the last few seasons we haven’t bought as many players and it’s changed around. “Of course you have to have a philosophy.You need a plan and it looks like we have one.”
Pochettino, along with chairman Daniel Levy, have tied down star striker Harry Kane to a long-term deal while England midfielder Dele Alli also sees his immediate future at Spurs despite growing interest from across Europe. A young, talented side is bristling with self-belief and confidence ahead of what promises to be a fascinating campaign.
Eriksen added: “We as a team are very young and everyone has a long contract, no-one has to go away they are happy where they are. Of course it’s something we can improve and help on because when you are young you learn and that’s what we are doing now. “Everyone knows we have been very close the last two seasons so I think in that time something has been brewing and now this is the third season with the manager to become even better than we were. “It’s the same lads trying to become better, help each other and that makes it easier. —AFP