Tottenham Hotspur’s Premier League future hangs firmly in the balance at the moment, with interim manager Igor Tudor tasked with leading the club through their current relegation.
The Croatian has managed just two games in North London so far, but he was unable to produce anything in the meetings against Arsenal and Fulham.
With only ten games left in the season, the 47-year-old will need to get results quickly, no doubt needing to get the best out of the players he has.
There will be no new additions between now and the end of the campaign, as his appointment was made after the January transfer window closed.
However, the club has previously made mistakes in the transfer market in recent years, with many players failing to make the impact they were looking for after big-money transfers.
The worst Spurs players of the last 15 years
Back in the summer of 2013, Spurs spent around 30 million rands to sign striker Roberto Soldado, in an effort to strengthen the club’s midfield.
The move caused a lot of excitement among the fans at the time, but it can be said that the move was a disaster, as the Spaniard failed to deliver in North London.
He scored just 16 points in his 76 appearances for the club in all competitions, before leaving two years later, resulting in a £16m loss and a return to his homeland.
Their spending spree was also evident in the summer of 2019, after which they shelled out a record £62m to sign Tanguy Ndombele from French side Lyon.
The midfielder played just 91 games for North London, his attitude and fitness issues being raised by many board members.
Like Soldado, he failed to deliver and live up to expectations in North London, until he left on a free transfer to join Nice in the summer of 2024.
This Spurs star is now worse than Soldado and Ndombele
Officials’ reckless spending in the transfer market has continued in recent years, with Conor Gallagher making a move to join Spurs in the latest January transfer window.
The England international joined the club for around £35m from Atletico Madrid, but it can be said that he has failed to deliver on his goals in the past two months since arriving in North London.
He has made seven league appearances for the Lilywhites so far, but his latest against Fulham revealed the struggles he has endured since his big-money transfer.
Gallagher lost 75% of the duels he entered, and managed to complete 72% of the passes he attempted – after that he could not do well at Craven Cottage and off the ball.
However, fellow newcomer Xavi Simons has also struggled in North London, as his recent performances have shown his lack of quality.
The Dutchman arrived in a £52m deal from RB Leipzig in the summer window, with fans hoping he could make it to the final third.
He has featured in 22 league games so far, but has managed to register a combined five goals and an assist – well below the hopes and dreams of supporters.
Despite a lack of quality in recent months, Tudor gave Simons the chance to step up against Fulham, but there is no denying that his displays have been underwhelming.
The Dutchman played 58 minutes before being substituted, after he managed to create one chance for his teammates – something that has been seen in recent months.
He also failed to register a single shot on goal for the Lilywhites, while completing 25% of his crosses – further highlighting his lack of quality in attacking areas.
Off the ball, the youngster did not perform well, as evidenced by his number of no-hits or ground duels won during the defeat at Craven Cottage.
|
Xavi Simons – stats against Fulham |
|
|---|---|
|
Mathematics |
Mathematics |
|
Minutes played |
58 |
|
To touch |
29 |
|
Pass accuracy |
88% |
|
He moved on to the final third |
2 |
|
The crosses are finished |
25% |
|
Knockdown won |
0 |
|
Duels won |
0 |
|
A gun was taken |
0 |
The £52m transfer fee spent on the signing of the attacking midfielder was a waste of money that another club may regret.
There is no doubt that this boy is approaching the level of Soldado and Ndombele, and there is no doubt that the pressure to produce goods is starting to increase.
A poor deal of management in the transfer market has led to the club’s bottom league position, and the board need to take responsibility for the lack of quality in North London.
Fewer touches than Vicario: Spurs flop worst signing since Ndombele
This Tottenham Hotspur thing looks like the worst player the club has signed since Tanguy Ndombele.
