Tottenham Hotspur headed into transfer deadline day with a clear objective.
Indeed, after selling Brennan Johnson and losing Mohammed Kudus to injury, Spurs desperately needed a new attacker on the final day of the transfer window.
However, for one reason or another, Spurs didn’t add another attacker on the final day of the transfer window.
Well… technically that isn’t true.
Indeed, Spurs did make an attacking signing on the final day of the transfer window in the shape of James Wilson – an 18-year-old forward who joined on loan from Hearts.
Spurs have signed Wilson to play for their U21 side, and, in all honesty, bringing him in on deadline day was an utterly stupid decision.
Raheem Sterling could join Tottenham on a free transfer…🤨
How can Thomas Frank get the best out of him? 🤔
Tottenham’s PR disaster on deadline day
Everyone who has half an interest in the Premier League knows that Tottenham needed senior attacking reinforcements on deadline day.
This is one of the biggest clubs in the country who aren’t far off a relegation battle who have just sold their top scorer from last season.
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There was set to be outrage if no new attacker was signed on deadline day, and those fires were only stoked when Spurs announced the signing of an 18-year-old at the eleventh hour.
Fans were not happy to see Wilson join due to the lack of other movement, and this is a situation that should have been managed better.
Yes, Spurs were playing with fire by not signing anyone in any case, but the optics of ignoring your glaring need and then announcing the signing of a teenager for the U21s is shocking.
Not only that, but it also sets Wilson up for failure to conduct his transfer in such a way, no matter what this young player does over the next six months, he’ll always be associated with the negativity that came on deadline day.
Of course, football is about way more than PR, communication and controlling your fanbase’s emotion, but when you are a club in crisis, you should be looking for easy wins rather than shooting yourself in the foot.