Seven players Tottenham Hotspur should cut loose

Davinson Sanchez — bought for £42 million in 2017

Davinson Sanchez’s career at Spurs has gradually fallen off the rails. His demise didn’t happen overnight, instead rotting progressively away like a corpse placed below ground.

A Mauricio Pochettino signing, things looked promising for the Colombian in his first season in England. However, rudimentary mistakes started creeping into his game, the frequency of which increased over time.

It wasn’t just the mistakes but his inherently flawed positioning and erratic play that caused alarm bells to ring. It all came to a head when Sanchez was booed off the pitch in a 3-2 home loss to Bournemouth in April.

To clarify, his tenure at Tottenham became untenable prior to that maddening moment.

Sanchez has yet to reach his full potential and needs to go elsewhere to see if he can. Even without European football on the docket, Sanchez isn’t good enough to battle for a first-team spot at Tottenham.

Japhet Tanganga — Tottenham youth system

I have incredibly sweaty palms just contemplating Japhet Tanganga’s Tottenham exit.

A huge advocate of his, I was thrilled to see the then-20-year-old make a wondrous debut against Liverpool in January 2020 during Jose Mourinho’s reign.

The cynical part of me is glad he didn’t become a world-beater, as Mourinho’s cap has no room for an additional feather.

Tanganga, under contract until June 2025, is 24 years old and barely featured last season. When he did feature, he was clearly out of his depth.

While a solid defensive player, Tanganga isn’t skilled enough on the ball, which won’t sit well with Postecoglou, who needs every player to be highly confident in possession.

Ryan Sessegnon — bought for £25 million in 2019

Another player under contract until June 2025, Ryan Sessegnon, has shown glimpses of brilliance. However, those glimpses have been more fleeting than Cristian Stellini’s time in the big boss’ chair.

Always dubbed a player with massive potential upside and limitless potential, Sessegnon’s inability to avoid the treatment table has turned him into a liability.

Sessegnon’s injury woes set in before his time at Fulham, so Tottenham knew the risks when they signed him.

He has the skill set and speed to play a part in Postecoglou’s free-flowing formation, but the time has come for Spurs to cut their losses.

He’s a player you can’t consistently rely on. While a shame, it’s time for the club to face that undeniable reality.

Joe Rodon — bought for £11 million in 2020

Like Tanganga, Joe Rodon has yet to materialize as a first-team player. He has made 24 appearances at Spurs since joining from Swansea in 2020 and returns to his north London after a season loan at Stade Rennais FC.

While not for lack of trying, Rodon hasn’t progressed enough to put his name in the first-team conversation. And that won’t change with more appearances.

Harry Winks — Tottenham youth system

Sadly, Harry Winks’ time at Tottenham has come to a natural end. He was one of the first names on Mauricio Pochettino’s team sheet during the latter stages of the Argentine’s five-year reign.

Winks was instrumental in Tottenham’s push to the Champions League final and was an indispensable member of the starting 11. Things have changed drastically since. Out of sorts and out of favour, Winks quickly lost influence at Tottenham, in large part thanks to recurring ankle injuries.

He couldn’t regain his footing in the first team, eventually becoming a bit-part player under Mourinho.

Postecoglou might feel like Winks deserves a shot at redemption, which would please many Tottenham supporters. He’s one of our own, and it’s always saddening to see a homegrown talent leave for pastures anew.

He’ll only get one shot if Postecoglou thinks Winks can impact first-team proceedings. But my gut feeling, based on his free fall before leaving for Sampdoria on loan, sees Winks going elsewhere.

Eric Dier — bought for £4 million in 2014

The sun has set on Eric Dier’s rollercoaster Tottenham career, the most prominent and influential player of the lot. Or has it?

Approaching 10 years at the club, Dier has endured more ups and downs than an Olympic high jumper.

Like his Yoyo Tottenham tenure, I flip-flop almost daily on whether he should stay or go. Whenever he’s on the verge of becoming an elite center back, he commits a grave individual error or suffers a dismal stretch.

Spurs must bring in a superior replacement before they can consider selling him.

Postecoglou might have other plans, though. When in form, Dier is one of the best ball-moving central defenders in the top flight.

That attribute will be difficult for Postecoglou to overlook. The new gaffer requires an excellent ball-moving center back to ensure his formation flourishes. That alone could offer Dier an all-important lifeline.

Dier, though, has shown an inability to excel in one-on-one defensive situations and commits far too many individual mistakes.

It looks like I’m still on the fence about his Tottenham future after all. I wonder where Postecoglou stands on the divisive topic.

Giovani Lo Celso — bought for £55 million in 2019

It appears the on-loan returnee will make the decision for Tottenham, as the Telegraph’s Matt Law believes Giovani Lo Celso wants to leave the club. While Law isn’t the final authority on the matter, Lo Celso’s desire to go makes sense.

He never quite ascended like he was expected to. He worked his socks off tirelessly and showed instances of awe-inspiring quality but couldn’t sustain an elite level of consistently.