4 things Tottenham need to do moving forward

Tottenham Hotspur had a mixed season last year. It was always going to be tough to adjust to Wembley. In light of the circumstances, finishing third in the Premier League can be considered a commendable achievement. The loss in the FA Cup semi-finals to Manchester United tainted this success.

A trophy, as well as Champions League football for a third consecutive season, would have cemented Tottenham's progress. Winning trophies is what defines a truly successful team.

Winning the Premier League should be the target set at the beginning of the season. A top-four finish, further progress in the Champions League and success in the domestic cup competitions should be a minimum expectation.

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#1 Keep Mauricio Pochettino

Could Mauricio Pochettino leave Tottenham?

Mauricio Pochettino is the key to achieving continued progression and growth. He has transformed Tottenham from top-four pretenders to realistic title challengers. The departure of Zinedine Zidane from Real Madrid has put Pochettino's future at Tottenham in doubt. Multiple reports mention Pochettino as Madrid's top managerial target.

I believe Pochettino's departure to be unlikely due to the new contract recently signed by him. Statements made by Pochettino at a book launch in Spain indicate that he is happy at Tottenham.

Guillem Balague, a reputed Spanish journalist, made similar comments when discussing this topic on his youtube channel. Pochettino wants to be the man to lead Tottenham into their new stadium and it is unlikely he would attempt to force a move away from Tottenham. The timing of the new contract ensures that Levy is at a significant advantage if approached by Madrid.

Levy is known to be a notoriously tough negotiator and is unlikely to entertain any approach from Madrid for Pochettino. Latest reports from Marca and comments from Guillem Balague indicate that Madrid has given up on Pochettino as they are unwilling to enter into negotiations with Levy. His reputation and past experience has dissuaded Madrid.

Losing Mauricio Pochettino, irrespective of compensation provided, would be nothing short of a catastrophe. Players at the club share a strong bond with Pochettino and his loss could lead to a spill-over effect. It would result in further transition and rebuilding, with potential dismantling of the squad. It would be an unforgivable act of foolishness from Levy in my view.

#2 Replace Erik Lamela

Erik Lamela

Erik Lamela divides opinion among Tottenham fans. I believe that Tottenham need to invest in someone possessing greater quality and consistency. Lamela is hard-working but very inconsistent. His lack of quality in the final third can be debilitatingly frustrating.

Pieces of skill ultimately result in loss of possession as he holds on to the ball for too long. Replacing him with Zaha or Martial would significantly upgrade Tottenham's attack.

Both are proven Premier League performers. Both have shown levels of consistency Lamela is yet to show. Both have a significantly greater output in terms of goals and assists. Both would challenge players such as Alli, Eriksen, Son and Moura for a place in the starting eleven.

An attack of Kane, Alli, Eriksen, Son, Moura and Zaha/Martial would be comparable to any other in the league. Dries Mertens also represents an interesting option. Such a signing would also allow Eriksen or Alli to play a deeper role without limiting the quality of options available further up the pitch.

#3 Loosen the wage structure

Toby Alderweireld could leave Tottenham

I am not suggesting paying wages beyond Tottenham's financial capacity. However, Spurs do need to increase their wage bill to a certain extent. Certain players require contract extensions with a significant boost in wages as a reward for consistently impressive performances.

Players deserving of such extensions include Christian Eriksen, Jan Vertonghen, and Son-Heung Min among others. Currently, as per ESPN reports, the highest-paid players at Tottenham earn around £110,000 a week. A significantly higher amount is required to ensure players stay at the club. Tottenham fans are increasingly resigned to the sale of Alderweireld.

This would be a significant step back for Tottenham. Tottenham's refusal to pay Alderweireld the wages he desires and deserves is the primary reason for his departure. To progress further, Tottenham needs to pay players of the quality of Alderweireld wages they would earn elsewhere.

Wages, if not similar, should at least be closer to those given at other top clubs. If Tottenham does lose Alderweireld, then they need to purchase an adequate replacement.

#4 Sign a world-class midfielder

Adrien Rabiot

Tottenham has multiple options in midfield. A world-class central midfielder would provide further depth and also cover for current inadequacies. Dembele, when fit, dominates midfield. However, his fitness often lets him down and his contract situation is also unclear. Dier lacks mobility and suffers from lapses of concentration.

Both Dembele and Dier are considered starters within the Tottenham midfield. Winks is young and has lots of potential but is not yet the finished article. Sissoko lacks technical ability, and that is not to say that these players are of average quality. They are all brilliant players but these flaws show the possibility for improvement. Sissoko is the only exception. I consider Sissoko an average player at best.

Despite that, he was forced to make a significant number of appearances for Tottenham last season due to injuries. Due to these reasons, there is a need for a world-class central midfielder, someone who would dictate play from deep and also contribute goals and assists on occasion.

Keita would have been an ideal signing had he not been purchased by Liverpool. Possible options which are available include Rabiot from PSG or Jorginho from Napoli.