Spurs’ Pochettino knows they can’t compete

– A failure to recruit quality signings that will help increase competition within the squad could leave Tottenham Hotspur struggling to end their trophy drought, manager Mauricio Pochettino (right) said this week.

Tottenham are the only Premier League side yet to add to their squad in the close season, while their England international right back Kyle Walker has departed for Manchester City.

All the teams expected to challenge Tottenham for silverware have strengthened and Pochettino said his hopes of ending the club’s nine-year wait for a trophy relied on increasing competition within the ranks.

“How have Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and different clubs tried to improve their season?” the Argentine told British media. “Bringing players and trying to put more pressure on their star players – and for us we need to do that too.

“Right, now I hear we need to win some trophies, no? That is good, the pressure. I think it’s important to understand now that we need to be clever how we manage the expectation and how we need to put pressure on our own players.”

Under Pochettino, Tottenham have evolved into one of the top teams in the league, finishing third two seasons ago and ending as runners-up to Chelsea in the last campaign, but the manager has concerns over how to keep his players motivated.

“We understand that Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, (Eric) Dier, (Toby) Alderweireld are really good players. They want to win but need to feel the pressure a little bit to improve every season,” he added.

“If there’s no competition in behind it’s normal to drop your motivation, it’s normal to drop everything you do. And then it’s difficult to win.”

He reiterated his belief that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy would strengthen the squad but said Tottenham could not go toeto-toe with the rich Manchester clubs.

“The problem is so clear,” he said. “We are not a club today that can compete with Manchester United and City for a player. We cannot fight. We are in a different way.

“But the thing is Daniel is very keen to sign like me. These type of players we are talking about, they are not easy to find.” –