Is Tottenham Hotspur actually behind in the transfer market?
By Aaron Coe
Incoming Purchases in the Premier League
To date – not including academy buys – nine teams – including Tottenham – have not added a single new player yet. Arsenal, Brighton, Chelsea, Everton, Leeds, Manchester United, and Newcastle all join Tottenham in the no new talent club. This does not mean the teams will add not anyone just that these teams – nearly half the league – have yet to add anyone new, so Tottenham is not that far behind.
One is not a lonely number for transfers
While the majority of clubs have not added anyone as of yet, the next most common situation is having added just 1 player to date. Burnley, Cyrstal Palace, Liverpool, Southampton, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton have all signed 1 player at this point.
Palace and Southampton added players or free while Liverpool is the leader in the clubhouse spending a reported $44 million (£31.8 million) on defender Ibrahima Konate.
Only a handful have added more than one new player
Only five teams have added 2 or more players at this point in the market and three of those five teams are the newly-promoted trio of Brentford, Norwich, and Watford. Given the need to improve squads and increase depth as newly promoted teams those three names should surprise no one.
The other two teams should concern Tottenham, however. First Aston Villa is reported to have signed Emiliano Buendia from Norwich for $42.24 Million (£30.5 million) as well as two other players on free transfers. Additionally, Manchester City has signed two players, both 18-year old Brazilians.