After being left “disappointed” by another transfer window without any arrivals at Tottenham Hotspur, Mauricio Pochettino says his team are not equipped to be genuine contenders to win the Premier League but will do their utmost to make their unrealistic title dream come true.
Spurs have become the first team in the Premier League era to go two consecutive transfer windows without buying any players, yet they sit third and know that victory over Newcastle United on Saturday could lift them, at least temporarily, above Manchester City and to within four points of the leaders, Liverpool.
“We were open to adding some quality to the team to help us achieve the things we want but we can’t add that quality, not because we can’t or don’t want to, but, for different reasons, we can’t deliver what we wanted,” said Pochettino of his club’s lack of January purchases.
“Of course I wanted to strengthen the squad but if we cannot sign, I need to stick with the project of the club,” he continued. “But of course [I am] disappointed because we are in a very good position and maybe with a help from some players we can remove the excuse that we are not a real contender. But we are there, we are close, in a very good position and we will fight to the end to be as high as we can.”
Pochettino declined to comment on reports that he had been keen to sign the striker Michy Batshuyai, who ended up joining Crystal Palace on loan from Chelsea on Thursday. He revealed, however, that he has decided to increase his forward options by welcoming Vincent Janssen back into the first-team fold. The Dutch striker, a flop since joining for £17m in the summer of 2016, had been training with Tottenham’s Under-23s since recovering from injury earlier this season and hoped to leave the club in January. He attracted several suitors, including Schalke and Real Betis, but no club made a compelling enough offer for a deal to be agreed. Now Pochettino says he can resume competing for a place in Spurs’ first team.
“He is going to be involved with the first team from today, like another player with chances to be involved or play” said the manager. “Before it was clear, he wanted to leave and [was] not in our plan. Now when you cannot achieve what you want, it’s important for him to feel again he can be helpful.”
“My responsibility is to manage persons, not chairs or sofas or furniture. My decision is to have him involved, now he has to get fit and be competitive. Always he behaved well. Always respectful. For different reasons he can’t go. Reasons that are difficult to understand for me. He cannot agree with the club or the club with him to find a place for him to play and be happy. We care and my decision was to open the door and invite him in again and be like another player here.”
Pochettino said Harry Kane is recovering well from the ankle ligament injury that has kept him out of action for the last two weeks. But the manager was not prepared to bring forward the date of Kane’s anticipated return, currently slated for 1 March. “I cannot say whether he is ahead of schedule or not, we need to assess him day by day.”
