If there is one thing, above all else and amidst all the other pressing problems at the club, that Tottenham Hotspur fans take the most issue with about the organization over the years, then it is their sheer lack of ambition on the transfer market.
Even though Tottenham did sign some big talents in the summer window in Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus, when you account for the fact that Spurs finished 17th in the Premier League, won the Europa League trophy, hired a new manager, and watched rivals like Arsenal and Chelsea invest even more in their squads, you really have to cast their summer business under more of a microscope.
Tottenham like to tell their fans that they are aiming for bigger and better things, and after the surprising sacking of the stingy Daniel Levy, there has been a common refrain from the club to the fan base that there will be big, positive signings coming in January and a lot more investment.
Tottenham are not as serious as Arsenal
But when you listen to Thomas Frank talk and you look at the names Tottenham are linked to - and the caliber of players they were not able to compete for at all - the skepticism Spurs fans about their club's viable transfer strategy is only increasing.
Juxtaposing Frank's remarks with those just recently made by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, who is quite literally leading the Premier League right now, and you can see how vast the difference in mentality there is between these two clubs right now.
Speaking about the upcoming January transfer window, Arteta sounded bold and ambitious about what the Gunners could try to achieve in the market. He said, via Fabrizio Romano, âWe will be actively looking to strengthen the squad in January. Depending on the availability of certain players, the window is there, I mean, we're Arsenal and we have to be looking at it. Our job is to be very prepared because something can happenâ.
While Mikel Arteta is far from the most likable character for Tottenham fans, even his biggest haters have to admit a level of respect for a coach that is always trying to push for more and publicly given a license by the club to say that the Gunners are "actively looking" for upgrades, even while being first in the league.
And that is probably the product of Arsenal suffering three straight tough calls in a title race, coming up just short. Tottenham, meanwhile, are nowhere near the title race and have not been in a while, but, then, you would think that would give the club more of a sense of urgency to say that they are actively pushing for major additions in the transfer market.