Pochettino reveals Spurs squad is “unsettled” with European transfer window still open

Mauricio Pochettino has described his Spurs squad as “unsettled” due to the European transfer window still being open.

Spurs have already overseen a significant summer of change in the transfer market, but Pochettino is evidently concerned that some of his players cannot focus solely on their football with other clubs still actively seeking new recruits.

A summer of change at Spurs: Five things to know…

• • Before this window, Spurs had not made a signing since Lucas Moura in January 2018.
  • The £54m signing of Tanguy Ndombele broke their transfer record.
  • Right-back Kieran Trippier moved to Madrid.
  • Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso joined on deadline day.
  • Christian Eriksen’s future is still uncertain.

Speaking after Spurs’ dramatic 2-2 draw with Manchester City, Pochettino seemed frustrated at the idea of European clubs conducting business behind the scenes when the Premier League season has already begun.

He said: “The squad is still unsettled. We’ll have to wait until the transfer windows close in Europe to see which players we are going to have. That is never easy.

“We still need to wait to see what happens with our squad. Maybe some players are still in a situation where things can happen. We are not a closed squad where nobody is going to move. Maybe nobody will move. The circumstances are that things are still open.

“The market in Europe makes things difficult in the way that we work and this type of situation doesn’t help the coaching staff to create a good dynamic.”

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Spurs draw with “incomparable” opposition

Not often will a team that reached the Champions League final be forced to do a ‘smash-and-grab’ in their own domestic league, but that’s exactly what Spurs did on Saturday.

They mustered just three shots all game: both their goals and a Harry Kane effort from 60 yards. However, thanks to a combination of Hugo Lloris, a wasteful City side and VAR, Spurs returned to the capital with a very valuable point.

Pochettino was also keen to point out the differences between the two clubs, citing his project at Spurs as very different to Pep Guardiola’s.

He added: “They are a very consistent team, improving every season, signing players that came from different teams who were winning, like Cancelo from Juventus. We are in a different process. That is why we cannot compare both teams.”