Happiness never lasts for long at White Hart Lane. After an important victory against Everton last weekend which saw Tottenham put on one of their finest performances of the season, the familiar sense of inferiority and dejection returned on Wednesday evening as Spurs were roundly beaten by London rivals Chelsea, which leaves Mauricio Pochettino’s side in tenth place. For all their glimmers of promise, Spurs remain a team who are a long way off becoming serious contenders for a Champions League place. Pochettino may seek extensive investment in the upcoming January transfer window to imprint his own identity on the club, yet the likelihood is that players will need to be sold if any new arrivals are to come in.
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Click on Pochettino to reveal the five players who should be deemed surplus to requirements at Spurs
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1. Danny Rose
He may have made himself an instant fan favourite with a screamer against bitter rivals Arsenal on his league debut in 2010, yet Danny Rose has struggled to secure a regular spot in the Spurs side since then. The left-back has been criticised for his defensive positioning and his composure on the ball, and with the recent purchase of Ben Davies – who has impressed so far this season – he may find it hard to get back into the first team. A decent defender no doubt, but not of a Champions League standard. For this reason, Tottenham should let him go.
2. Benoit Assou-Ekotto
Another left-back, another player who is simply not good enough to play for Spurs. A regular during the Harry Redknapp years, Assou-Ekotto has not played competitvely for Spurs since the 2012/13 season – he was at loan with Redknapp’s QPR last year, and has been unused by Pochettino this campaign. At 30 years of age, the Cameroonian is unlikely to revitalise his career at White Hart Lane; Spurs would be wise to get rid of him in the new year to lower their wage bill.
3. Lewis Holtby
A lot of people made a lot of noise about the capture of Holtby from Schalke in January 2013 without actually knowing an awful lot about the German. The €1.75 million fee was lauded as a bargain at the time, yet it soon became evident why the 24 year-old had come so cheaply. The attacking midfielder found it difficult at White Hart Lane, scoring just once in a total of 24 league appearances, and was loaned out to Premier League strugglers Fulham in January for the remainder of the 2013/14 season, where then-Cottagers boss Felix Magath accused him of not being a “fighter”. Now on loan at Hamburg, it may be the case that Holtby feels more comfortable playing in his homeland than in England. With Christian Eriksen estabishing himself as Spurs’ first-choice number 10, the London side should look to offload Holtby, and could expect to make a decent profit from his sale.
4. Kyle Naughton
The fact that the 26 year-old Naughton has spent the majority of his Spurs career on loan at various clubs in the lower divisions after his move from Sheffield United in 2009 suggests that the right-back has yet to convince his parent club that he can make the position his own. Kyle Walker – who also moved to White Hart Lane from the Blades at the same time as Naughton – is considered to be the first-choice right-back at the club, and despite the fact that the England international has been absent through a long-term injury, Naughton has been unable to play regularly at the Lane, with Jan Vertonghen often being deployed on the right of defence. Naughton is not getting any younger – he should look to move if he wants to enjoy first-team action on a weekly basis.
5. Mousa Dembélé
You don’t need to watch Mousa Dembélé play for long to realise that the Belgian is a very talented and technically gifted footballer, yet his lack of consistency has been a real source of frustration for Spurs fans since his arrival from Fulham in 2012. The 27 year-old midfielder has fallen down the pecking order at the Lane and has made just six league appearances all season; given that Spurs already have an abundance of players who play in his position, he may find it tough to break into the first team anytime soon. Dembélé would be a very useful signing to most teams in the Premier League, including those at the top end of the table. A change of scenery and a fresh start could be just what this mercurial player needs to get his career back on track.
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