Spurs enjoyed another decent campaign as they finished 3rd in the Premier League, behind champions Manchester City and runners-up Manchester United. Tottenham Hotspur ended the season with 77 points, scoring 74 goals and conceding just 36 in the process. Pochettino is yet to win a trophy during his time with the Lilywhites but he will aim to do so in the upcoming campaign.
Spurs have reportedly been targeting Wilfried Zaha for a while now, but they are apparently unwilling to pay Palace’s asking price of £70m. The Ivory Coast international was Palace’s second top scorer last season and he played a major part in helping the team finish 11th in the Premier League.
Pochettino will now be looking at alternative options to sign and here, we will take a look at three possible targets.
Marko Arnautovic
The Austrian has flourished in his newfound role at the London Stadium, scoring 11 goals in 31 appearances for the club last season. He was West Ham’s top scorer in the league and the only player among them to cross the 10-goal mark. Pochettino could go for the former Stoke City winger, given the rumours of Christian Eriksen’s impending move to Barcelona.
Arnautovic would thrive in a supporting role behind Harry Kane. He could also play alongside Kane, as he did with Chicharito last season. He certainly won’t come cheap, given his impressive performances this season, but he will surely be worth the buy.
Xherdan Shaqiri
The Stoke City winger enjoyed an admirable campaign scoring 8 goals and providing 7 assists in 36 appearances. Yet, his efforts were not enough to save the Potters from getting relegated to the Championship.
Spurs must make a move for the experienced Swiss man. Shaqiri would definitely be a great addition to this young Spurs team, with his marauding runs down the wings often troubling opposition defenders. Shaqiri is also a great set-piece taker and is capable of playing on both sides. With a devastating left foot, the addition of Shaqiri would certainly be a huge statement from Spurs.
Gareth Bale
What a return this would be! The Welsh Wizard joined Spurs from Southampton in 2007, going on to make 146 appearances and scoring 42 goals in the process. Bale was then snapped up by Real Madrid in 2013 and the attacker has gone on to make 126 appearances for Los Blancos, scoring 70 goals.
Bale was also Real Madrid’s Man of The Match in the Champions League final, as he scored 2 goals against Liverpool to help them win the title for a third consecutive year. A return to his former club would be a true fairy tale and it would also strengthen Spurs’ attacking department.
