Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a player they may not need but who would add considerable strength in depth.
According to a recent report from the print edition of Portuguese newspaper Jornal de Noticias (20/06/2017 page 53), Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a second bid for Sporting Lisbon’s Adrien Silva, after seeing a £17.5million offer rejected earlier this month.
On paper, Tottenham do not need the 28-year-old, but could the club’s alleged pursuit of the Portugal international paint a picture of Mauricio Pochettino’s plans for next season?
After all, last time round the Tottenham boss rarely rotated any more than he had to, using his small squad to great effect but ultimately falling short in all four competitions.
While reaching the FA Cup semi-final and finishing second in the Premier League is a massive achievement in itself, Spurs will be desperate to get some silverware in the cabinet in 2018 and if they are to do that, they need more players who can slot seamlessly into Pochettino’s starting XI.
While no player – let alone a 28-year-old with 232 appearances for Sporting – is going to want to come to North London only to be rotated in and out of the squad, Tottenham are in enough competitions next season to make a move feasible.
Silva would also add considerable experience to the team, especially when you consider the ongoing injury problems surrounding Mousa Dembele.
Tottenham will struggle to win any one competition when they are playing many of the same players in all of them, and while they have the youth to supplement their first-team regulars, the presence of Silva would ensure Harry Winks and Josh Onomah have an experienced head to guide them through their most important season to date.
Another midfielder may not be high on Tottenham fans’ wishlists, but Silva’s arrival could in fact help them challenge both domestically and in Europe, rather than prioritising one over the other.
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