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Tottenham might lose Vincent Janssen

By Ryan Wrenn

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 02: Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen holds off Vincent Janssen of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Wembley Stadium on November 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)
LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 02: Jonathan Tah of Bayer Leverkusen holds off Vincent Janssen of Tottenham Hotspur during the UEFA Champions League Group E match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Wembley Stadium on November 2, 2016 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images) /
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Vincent Janssen himself has tabled the possibility of him leaving Tottenham in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Tottenham squad is currently on holiday following their post-season exhibition match against Kitchee, a match in which Janssen both started and scored.

That cameo appearance in Hong Kong was decidedly not Janssen’s season in microcosm however. The Dutchman struggled to get any minutes, even off the bench.

Now, in an interview with Dutch periodical De Telegraaf (brought to us by way of SkySports), Janssen has revealed that his future remains undecided.

"“I initially found it difficult with my role as a substitute, sometimes sitting in the stands at Spurs, but I learned to deal with it.“As a young player I had to compete with Harry Kane – the top scorer of the Premier League – arguably the toughest league in the world, and a striker who is performing remains in the team.“That [my future] is a matter for after the holidays. I want the prospect of more playing time, but otherwise I’m now better keeping my mouth shut.”"

In truth, there were sparingly few scenarios in which Janssen didn’t end this season at least somewhat unsettled. Spurs bought him from AZ Alkmaar last summer explicitly as backup for Harry Kane — i.e., one of the best and most consistent strikers in Europe. Unless the England international went down injured for a prolonged period, Janssen was never really set for an immediate starring role.

When it came to pass that Kane indeed did get injured barely over a month into the season, it was already clear that Janssen probably wasn’t ready to fill those shoes. Pochettino generously granted him plenty of minutes in the season’s opening matches — often alongside Kane — and there wasn’t much indication that Janssen was finding any traction.

Meanwhile, Heung-min Son was scoring at will — having finally settled in at the club after two full seasons. Pochettino found more success in leaning on the South Korean as a striker, even if his natural position is on the wing.

Why exactly Janssen wasn’t able to continue his free-scoring ways from his prior season with AZ is hard to say. The stereotype is that the Premier League is markedly more physical, especially for players who come from the finesse football of the Netherlands’ Eredivisie.

There might be an ounce of truth in that, but the bigger truth is that Janssen simply hasn’t been given the time — both on and off the pitch — he needs to adjust to Pochettino’s high expectations. It took Son two seasons after all, and now he scored when he wants.

Unfortunately, time is something that Tottenham are increasingly short of.

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For two seasons running they have breathed down the neck of the eventual title winner, only to falter in the final weeks. Though it is coming much sooner than anyone expected, Tottenham are regular title contenders now. Patiently waiting for Janssen to find his footing might not be an option.

Which is why it’s not too outrageous to think that Spurs might shop him around to different clubs this season why they simultaneously look for more seasoned strikers to fill the backup role for Kane.