Mauricio Pochettino has suggested that his 'painful rebuild' is going to take place at Tottenham Hotspur regardless of who leaves or doesn't this summer.
The Tottenham manager spoke of such a rebuild towards the end of last season. However, with players who were expected to move on this summer not doing so, such as Christian Eriksen, Toby Alderweireld and Danny Rose, there was a belief that the revolution or evolution may have to wait.
Kieran Trippier, Fernando Llorente, Michel Vorm, Vincent Janssen and Georges-Kevin Nkoudou have all left the club with Victor Wanyama expected to join them and potentially one or two others before the foreign transfer windows close on September 2.
With Tanguy Ndombele, Giovani Lo Celso and Ryan Sessesgnon having been signed this summer, with Jack Clarke also joining before heading back to Leeds United on loan, Spurs have refreshed their options and Pochettino seemed to indicate that his rebuild is going ahead this season either way.
"It is going to be difficult because last season we were in the top four and the final of the Champions League but we want to be better every season and in every area," he told Sky Sports ahead of Spurs' Premier League match against Newcastle.
"That is our objective. Our vision to achieve it is that we can improve the same players who are here but also add to the quality with the young players who are coming in.
"We love that challenge. We love to try to be better every season and we are working hard on that. We are settling the team, trying to find the best dynamic in the group.
"It is a natural evolution and we are looking to find that balance. This season looks like it will be the one where we will start the regeneration of the squad. This is a new cycle."
Pochettino is excited about the new signings he has to work with as well as the academy players coming through.
"It is always exciting to work with young players," said the Spurs boss. "It shows our project and our philosophy here. It is how we operate.
"We have identified good players with the capacity to prove that they can play here for Tottenham and help the team to regenerate with that energy that you always need if you want to regenerate a team."
He added: "The circumstances of the club meant that for a while maybe we could not regenerate. For different reasons, we decided to keep our players. Of course, every season they are one year older, one year older.
"But now it is the start of the regeneration with the signings of Sessegnon, Lo Celso and Ndombele as well as bringing through our own players.
"They are the two systems that we use to refresh the squad, sometimes young players from outside and sometimes from the academy.
"When you have an unbelievable academy like we do, you can always refresh it in training and refresh with the energy and the motivation of players such as Troy Parrott. We are trying to regenerate that energy and to start again."
