Spurs slammed for signing ‘average players’; Frank urged to complete £65m transfer after Eze snub

Jason Soutar
Arsenal v Spurs: Ebere Eze and Mohammed Kudus
Ebere Eze and Mohammed Kudus during the North London Derby

Tim Sherwood has urged Tottenham Hotspur to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth after they missed out on Ebere Eze in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham were comprehensively beaten 4-1 by north London rivals Arsenal on Sunday, with former transfer target Eze scoring a hat-trick.

It was Thomas Frank’s first away defeat and worst day as Spurs boss so far. His side are now ninth in the Premier League and will fall further down the table if Manchester United avoid defeat to Everton on Monday night.

Eze scoring felt inevitable after Arsenal hijacked Spurs’ pursuit of the England international, but a hat-trick rubbed salt in the wounds.

READ: 16 Conclusions on Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham: Eze, Rice, Frank and the Premier League title

Spurs summer signings: Key statistics

  • Xavi Simons (£56.3m): 0 goals, 2 assists, 15 games
  • Mohammed Kudus (£55m): 1 goal, 5 assists, 16 games
  • Mathys Tel (£30m): 2 goals, 0 assists, 11 games
  • Randal Kolo Muani (loan): 0 goals, 1 assist, 9 games

His start to the season has been fantastic, while the attacking reinforcements Frank signed in the summer have struggled to make an impact.

Mohammed Kudus was the club’s marquee signing, joining from West Ham United for £55million, before Xavi Simons joined from RB Leipzig as an alternative to Eze.

Simons has fallen victim to the dreaded Bundesliga tax, and his struggles have thrown Tottenham’s failure to sign Eze into sharp focus, especially as it was Arsenal who hijacked the deal.

Kudus, who only has one goal in 11 games this season, is the only attacking signing that Sherwood believes has performed well enough to avoid criticism.

Sherwood has been highly critical of Spurs’ recruitment, blasting the club for signing “average players” rather than spending an extra £10million on “make-the-difference players”.

“Look at the money they’ve spent on them players. All right, Kudus has done okay,” Sherwood said on Sky Sports News.

“What’s Eze? 65 million? You’d rather pay an extra 10 million for a make-the-difference player. You know he’s gonna be a make-the-difference player.

“Just get the deal done as soon as you can. Don’t give the opportunity to other clubs higher than you in the league to come in and nick your price. That’s exactly what Arsenal done.

“Tottenham should have done the deal. Get the deal done before Arsenal pick up the phone to Eze. It happens time and time again.”

Spurs must avoid Eze repeat with Semenyo

Sherwood then urged Spurs to be ruthless and get Bournemouth forward Semenyo through the door in the January transfer window.

“Save your money on average players you keep buying. Let the academy boys be the stocking fillers, and fill up your squad and make-the-difference money on make-the-difference players like him.

“Like Semenyo now, go and get him, Tottenham. Don’t wait for Man City. Don’t wait for Liverpool. Don’t wait for Man United. Go and get him before everyone else comes to the party.

“Don’t give him a decision then. It’s frustrating.”

Semenyo has a £65m release clause in his contract, though that fee will reportedly drop to around £50m next summer.

Spurs know how much it’ll cost to sign the Ghanaian, so as Sherwood says, it’s about being decisive and reaching a full agreement with the player before other clubs swoop in.

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Tottenham Hotspur Antoine Semenyo

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