Player rating of Tottenham Hotspur's transfer business this season

Andre Villas-Boas

Tottenham Hotspur have been the busiest club in England this year, signing seven new players and spending more than £100M in transfers. A large part of that will no doubt have been made back by selling Gareth Bale to Real Madrid, but the massive splurge shows massive ambition on Spurs’ behalf. Let’s take a quick look at the signings the North London club have made.

1) Nacer Chadli

Transfer fee: £7M

Position: Winger/second striker

The Belgian winger was signed from Dutch club FC Twente. He’s quick, tricky, versatile and can shoot from distance. He was seen as a replacement for Gareth Bale although it’s hard to imagine him having the same impact as the Welshman had. Nevertheless, he’s a quality addition to the club as he can play on either wings or through the middle, and came on the cheap.

Verdict: 7/10

2) Paulinho

Transfer fee: £17M

Position: Central midfielder

Spurs’ first record signing during this transfer market, Paulinho is a box-to-box midfielder who has the ability to drive the team forward. His defensive work-rate is high and he possesses a decent range of passes. He also has the ability to score a few goals whenever necessary. He was impressive during Brazil’s victorious Confederations Cup campaign, and Spurs fans will no doubt hope he recreates that form for the club.

Verdict: 8/10

3) Roberto Soldado

Transfer fee: £26M

Position: Striker

His arrival meant that Spurs broke their transfer record for a second time this summer. The Spain international provides goals, which is something Spurs lacked last season. However, there are some question marks over whether he was worth the money shelled out for him given that he doesn’t really offer anything new except goals. Those question marks will disappear if he can score 20+ goals this season.

Verdict: 7/10

4) Etienne Capoue

Transfer fee: £9M

Position: Defensive midfielder

The French international is a combative defensive midfielder who likes a tackle and can keep possession well. Capoue was linked to a host of clubs, including Arsenal and Cardiff City, but chose to sign for Tottenham. His dominating presence in midfield will no doubt bode well for Spurs given the physical nature of the Premier League. He’s still slightly raw but there’s no doubting his talent.

Verdict: 8/10

5) Vlad Chiriches

Transfer fee: £8M

Position: Centre-back

The Romanian will add some quality depth in Spurs’ defence, something they have been lacking for a while. He’s young and was signed for a relatively low transfer fee. His ability to play the ball out of defence coupled with his tactical understanding of the game will no doubt make him fit into the club’s attacking style of play. He could be one of the bargains of the season.

6) Erik Lamela

Transfer fee: £30M

Position: Forward

Erik Lamela (R)

This man could well be the perfect replacement for Gareth Bale. He’s fast, tricky and possesses excellent dribbling skills. He netted 15 times in 33 appearances for Roma last season, showing he has the ability to score a few goals as well. His transfer meant that Spurs broke their record transfer fee for the third time this summer and he’s arguably the best signing they have made so far.

Verdict: 9/10

7) Christian Eriksen

Transfer fee: £11.5M

Position: Attacking midfielder

The Dane was continuously linked to Liverpool earlier this summer although he eventually chose to make the move to Tottenham. A clever player who possesses an excellent passing range and creativity, he usually plays as an attacking midfielder although he can play as a deep-lying playmaker as well. He will add even more quality to Spurs’ current squad.

Verdict: 8.5/10