The transfer window is slowly approaching, and for Tottenham, this summer will be one of the club’s most important in some years, with Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici set to completely change the squad through signings and sales.
Spurs’ final league position will likely determine how much the north London side spends, but regardless of top-four or not, Tottenham will have to sell numerous players in the squad to refresh the team.
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Whilst new signings are also important, there’s no denying that sales will be as crucial for Tottenham’s success in the coming years. Yet one major problem for Conte and company is that Spurs could struggle to offload some players.
Indeed, Tottenham have one of the biggest squads in the Premier League, yet with some players on high wages, selling those surplus to requirements would be a struggle, and here are just seven names who could prove difficult for the north London side.
Joe Rodon
With just eight appearances all season, Joe Rodon looks set to depart Tottenham this summer, though doing that is easier said than done, with Spurs struggling to sell the Welsh international in the past two windows.
Although Rodon would be an alluring prospect for numerous clubs in the Premier League, the former Swansea City star could struggle to depart north London if Tottenham once again botch the transfer process, as what has happened in the past 12 months.
Davinson Sanchez
A £42m bench player sounds like something Tottenham can’t afford to waste, yet that’s just what Conte has done in recent weeks with Davinson Sanchez, who has not started a Premier League game since late February.
With minutes limited and Spurs set to sign a new centre-back this summer, Sanchez could join Rodon out the exit door at Tottenham, though just like his defensive teammate, the north London club actually selling the Colombian would be challenging given how much Daniel Levy will likely value the former Ajax star.
Emerson Royal
Emerson Royal joined Tottenham just one year ago, yet 12 months later, Conte is already reportedly keen on offloading the Brazilian, who has had a mixed first season in the Premier League.
With the defender only just joining Tottenham, the sale of Emerson could be challenging for Paratici, who just like Sanchez, might want a decent sum for the right-back despite his deflated transfer value.
Harry Winks
A similar player in Rodon’s situation, Harry Winks has been linked with a move from Tottenham for some time, with the likes of Leeds United and Southampton linked to the Spurs midfielder over the past few months.
And just like his Spurs teammate, Winks could find it hard to leave Tottenham given how much of a hassle it has proven to be to offload the midfielder in the first place, with this summer the 26-year-old’s best chance of leaving the north London club.
Tanguy Ndombele
Ah Tanguy Ndombele, how did a Mauricio Pochettino transfer that looked so right end up going oh so wrong, and this summer should finally see the permanent sale of the French midfielder, if Tottenham are willing to do whatever it takes.
With Olympique Lyonnais having a £54m option to sign Ndombele this summer, there’s no chance the Ligue 1 side will meet these demands, and if Tottenham are to rid themselves of the midfielder, the north London side will have to revise their valuation.
Giovani Lo Celso
Another Tottenham player who is impressing out on loan, Giovani Lo Celso went from hardly featuring for Spurs to helping Villarreal reach the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, and a summer move now looks likely for the Argentine.
However, with Tottenham shelling out a hefty transfer fee for the midfielder, the north London side could find it difficult to sell Lo Celso for a price Levy and Paratici find acceptable, especially in this post-Covid-19 market.
Steven Bergwijn
Steven Bergwijn has proved to be a useful player off the bench for Tottenham since Conte’s arrival, but if reports are to be believed, the Netherlands international could be off this summer.
However, given that the forward only joined Tottenham 18 months ago, finding a realistic seller could prove hard for Spurs, especially given the fee the club will demand for Bergwijn if they are to sanction a sale.
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