Tottenham's lack of signings: There's more to it than you might think

Every year, Tottenham fans expect Daniel Levy to splash the cash on top-tier players in order to ensure there is a genuine opportunity they can challenge for both European and Premier League success, but this is something Spurs have never really done. Most of the quality players in their current squad were signed for much cheaper transfer fees than their market values would suggest now.

This approach, although risky, has proven successful. Players like Gareth Bale (Southampton) and Dele Alli (MK Dons) are prime examples, yet after a few successful campaigns, there is still no sign of a big-money player joining the white half of north London anytime soon. On the contrary, keeping their current first-team crop content with their respective weekly wages is still very much an issue in itself.

With the 2018/19 Premier League campaign set to kick off this weekend, manager Mauricio Pochettino has yet to bring in any new additions to his squad and admits he's still unsure whether there will be any at all.

Over the course of this summer, Spurs have been linked with the likes of Jack Grealish, Wilfried Zaha and Anthony Martial - while the likes of Vincent Janssen and Georges-Kévin N'Koudou were expected to depart on permanent deals. In addition, it has been reported that the club are open to offers for contract rebels Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Mousa Dembele.

Mauricio Pochettino will be hoping for some acquisitions before Thursday's deadline

Why have no signings been made?

Tottenham's lack of transfer business this summer could have something to do with the number of foreign players currently in their squad. This was a problem last year, meaning they had to leave players including Juan Foyth and Erik Lamela out of their Champions League squad to fill the homegrown quota.

With this in mind, they will be looking to sell players who do not fit this category and acquire talented options who do - such as Aston Villa's Grealish. They need to be cautious with the amount of foreign signings they make, ensuring they are of the required ability to fit into Pochettino's playing style, while also adhering to Levy's transfer policy - not needlessly spending money for the sake of it.

Something that worries many Tottenham fans is that the lack of signings will see them stagnate, while the big spenders around them progress. Liverpool and Arsenal in particular, both of whom finished below Spurs last season, have significantly invested in their respective squads and will be bullish about their chances of challenging for silverware this term.

Tottenham kick off their Premier League campaign on August 11th, against Newcastle at St James' Park.