Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher believes Tottenham and Chelsea have a real chance of breaking into the Premier League top four this season, with both clubs having spent big in the transfer market
Jamie Carragher believes Tottenham and Chelsea are well-positioned to secure a top-four finish in the Premier League during the upcoming season, with Spurs still eager to sign Cody Gakpo this summer.
Spurs head into the new campaign with Roberto De Zerbi at the helm, having steered them clear of relegation, and with the advantage of two months already spent embedding his footballing philosophy at the club, followed by a full pre-season. Chelsea, meanwhile, have appointed former Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso as their new manager, who took charge last month.
Neither club will have European commitments to contend with this term following disappointing campaigns last season, with Chelsea finishing 10th and Tottenham 17th. Both sides have nonetheless invested heavily over the summer to resolve a number of shortcomings, and Sky Sports pundit Carragher reckons they are primed to shake up the established order.
"There's a real opportunity for Spurs and Chelsea, without European football next season, to make a real fist of it.
"There's a lot of questions about Manchester United playing more European games, Iraola coming in as well at Liverpool, and Unai Emery and Aston Villa losing a lot of their best players, [there] in the Champions League as well.
"So, there's a real opportunity for Spurs and Chelsea to get into those Champions League positions this season," the former centre-back remarked on the latest instalment of The Overlap Fan Debate, sponsored by Sky Bet.
Tottenham have invested $321 million this summer on Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, while securing Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka on free transfers, reports Football London.
High-profile departures have included Cristian Romero, Djed Spence, Guglielmo Vicario, Radu Dragusin and $67 million signing Luka Vuskovic.
De Zerbi is seeking to bring in fresh attacking talent over the coming fortnight, with Savinho, Gakpo and Omar Marmoush amongst those featuring on his target list.
"Do you think the business that Tottenham have done and the money that they've spent - it was a little bit eye-opening, especially Tonali's fee, you think, like £100 million.
"Do you think that comes from the power De Zerbi had and the hold he's got on the club?" suggested Carragher.
"In terms of - he wasn't sure about coming in, they gave him a really big contract: if I stay, I want this, this, and this, or I'm going. It's almost like they had to give him what he wants."