Who stays and who goes? A preview of Tottenham’s possible movement this summer

Silly Season is in full swing and, unlike the last two windows, we are expecting a lot of turnover with Tottenham Hotspur. The staff of Cartilage Free Captain have been talking about this summer window for a couple of months now, mainly to determine who our primary targets are and what links to take seriously. Unfortunately, that also leads to us trying to predict who is staying and who is leaving the club. Consider this article the culmination of about ten weeks of talk and is not scientific in any way at all other than trying to make sense of it all.

Again, please note: This is not the end all, be all when it comes to transfers. Crazy things happen and these are just our gut feelings when it comes to each player.

Staying:

Goalkeepers:

Hugo Lloris: The club captain is not going anywhere. Tottenham Hotspur purchased the French #1 in 2012 and he has been a permanent fixture in the Starting XI since about midway through his first season.

Paulo Gazzaniga: The former Southampton product seems quite happy to be the backup to Hugo and was recruited by Mauricio Pochettino because of his time there prior to Spurs.

Fullbacks:

Danny Rose: We did consider putting Danny in the “maybe” column, given there were some rumblings about him possibly leaving back in February or March, but his performances down the stretch and Pochettino going to bat for him in the press lead us to believe he’s going to get a new contract and will continue his career in north London.

Ben Davies: The Welsh International provides solid minutes on the left flank and can slot into a CB spot if necessary. It’s clear his versatility make him a vital member of the squad for Pochettino. He’s staying.

Centerbacks:

Jan Vertonghen: The 32 year old Belgian International proved yet again this season he’s one of the most reliable defenders in the Premier League with his performance. The club activated a one year extension back in December, but it’s unclear if they’ll give him one more deal as he’s out of contract next summer.

Davinson Sanchez: Purchased two summers ago from Ajax, the club-record transfer is still growing and has plenty of good years ahead of him.

Juan Foyth: The Argentine has shown some versatility by playing both centerback and right back, leading us to think Pochettino may try an Eric Dier-style project with him.

Midfielders:

Harry Winks: When he’s healthy, he’s shown to be a solid defensive midfielder with crisp passing and good defensive positioning. Injuries have derailed him a bit, but the academy product is a clear first choice for Pochettino.

Moussa Sissoko: There is no better career turnaround story than Sissoko. Two years mired in mediocrity were forgotten after his fantastic 2018/19 campaign. While he’s 30 years old and probably won’t have to shoulder as much of the weight in midfield next season if Spurs get their way, there’s no denying his spot in the squad now.

Oliver Skipp: The youth prospect has been highly rated for a couple of years now and we got to see flashes of it this season, probably more than we should have. Skippy logged 1,300 minutes in eight different competitions, splitting his time between the senior squad and youth squad. It’s clear Poch has plans for him, though with the targeted players in the transfer window, he will probably spend more time with the youth to further his development.

Attackers:

Son Heung-Min: Sonny had a fantastic run of form in the second half of the season and has shown to be a terror to defenses when he’s on his game. With military service no longer looming thanks to his Asian Games performance, Sonny isn’t going anywhere and has four years remaining on his current deal.

Dele Alli: Dele carried nagging injuries for the second half of the season that included a broken hand, but he soldiered on at a time when Spurs needed him the most. Also signed through 2023, the English International is going to be in north London for the foreseeable future.

Lucas Moura: The hat-trick hero of Amsterdam enjoyed some good success this season both domestically and in the Champions League. A pacey option to run at defenses whether right out of the gate or off the bench, the Brazilian will be looking to build upon his 2018/19 campaign.

Strikers:

Harry Kane: Short of Florentino Perez dumping about 400 million on Daniel Levy’s front lawn while holding a boombox up in the air playing “In Your Eyes”, Harry Kane will be looking to go on a revenge tour next season after injuries took away most of the second half of his season.

Gone:

Simply put, these are the players we think are nailed on to leave Tottenham Hotspur this summer.

Goalkeeper:

Michel Vorm: Vorm has been a decent backup for Tottenham since joining from Swansea City. His contract expires on June 30 and with Paulo Gazzaniga comfortably second choice, Vorm is free to leave.

Centerback:

Cameron Carter-Vickers: The United States International hasn’t quite come as good as Tottenham Hotspur hoped. Once one of the highest regarded prospects in the academy, he’s spent the last three seasons on loan to Sheffield United, Ipswich Town and Swansea City. He’s played well for all three sides, but the Championship is much different than the Premier League and it may be his level. Swansea City have reportedly inquired about a permanent transfer for the 21 year old, so don’t be too surprised if this is the final farewell for CCV.

Fullback:

Kieran Trippier: Trippier’s comments after the Champions League final seems to suggest he’s gone in the summer. The 28 year old has been linked to Napoli, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United. His preference is to stay in England, but if United come calling it means he’ll be putting wages over Champions League football next season. Levy initially set the valuation at £25-30m, but that might be a tad high. He’s gone, but we’re not sure to where just yet.

Attackers:

Georges-Kevin N’Koudou: Loaned out to Monaco in January, he played just 20 minutes in three appearances for the French side. He’s just 24 years old, but safe to say he’s gone.

Josh Onomah: Another academy prospect that just hasn’t worked out, Onomah was loaned to Aston Villa last season and then Sheffield Wednesday for this year. Now 22 years old with two years remaining on his contract, the expectation is that it’s time to move on and a Championship club will eagerly buy him given he’s English and has shown he can play at that level comfortably.

Striker:

Fernando Llorente: The big Spaniard scored some critical goals for this club down the stretch, including his hip check into the net against Manchester City in the Champions League. Chances are high he’s heading back to Spain for his swansong and, if that’s the case, godspeed to the handsome Spaniard.

Vincent Janssen: Like any of you are surprised to see him on this list. No clue where he goes, but his career is not in north London past this summer.

Maybe:

These are the players that slot into the category of “We have no idea” for one reason or another. We’ve discussed back and forth all of their futures so here’s the remaining list of players and a prediction of ultimately where each ends up for the 2019/20 campaign:

Fullbacks:

Serge Aurier: The Côte d’Ivoire International had a strange season. Going into the campaign, reports had surfaced about Pochettino stating to Aurier he could leave if he wanted and opted to stay. Injured down the stretch and having an issue off the pitch didn’t help his cause. This is a tough call because a summer where Spurs rotate their entire right back depth is difficult to see, but everyone has a price.

Prediction: Stays, but there will be plenty of links.

Kyle Walker-Peters: Playing just 705 minutes this season and ultimately finding himself behind Juan Foyth on a couple of occasions, things do not look great for the 22-year-old’s future. We’re unsure of how things shake out, and a lot of it has to do with the rest of his position’s movement, but KWP may find himself frozen out for the upcoming campaign.

Prediction: Loaned out for 19/20

Centerback:

Toby Alderweireld: We know how crazy this sounds, but there is still a chance that Toby sticks around and probably runs his contract out at Tottenham. The market for him has changed and there aren’t many clubs wanting a 30-year-old centerback unless they think he’s the final piece of the puzzle. He was pretty fantastic this season and did all he could to help his value, but with Manchester United in Europa League and Manchester City looking for younger players, Alderweireld’s market is dwindling. He could look to the continent, perhaps to Juventus.

Prediction: Leaves late in the window.

Midfielders:

Victor Wanyama: Having played just under 2,200 minutes of football in the past two seasons after a great opening season for Tottenham, Wanyama’s injury history may lead to his exit this summer. The times he did play this season, his rust was apparent and he never seemed to get off the ground except for a couple of performances. He has two years left on his contract, which leads us to believe bids are going to be welcomed for the midfielder.

Prediction: Sold.

Eric Dier: Nobody had a 2018/19 as unlucky as Eric Dier. Injuries, illnesses and surgeries were the big story around the English International. It’s not his fault, of course, but the 25-year-old fell just short of 2,000 minutes for the season and only played a full 90 minutes three times since December 8. While it’s easy to see a path for him to stay at the club, he has two years remaining on his contract. If the club are going to sell, they may be inclined to do so though his market value is probably at its lowest.

Prediction: Stays.

Attackers:

Erik Lamela: The former club-record transfer has had one hell of a roller coaster ride at Tottenham Hotspur. Logging just over 1,500 minutes this season, he missed almost the entire stretch at the end of the season due to injury. He managed to return for Everton and was left on the bench in the Champions League final. His market is another one that probably isn’t great, but Levy will entertain offers as he has some leverage with three years left on his contract. I will be upset and angry, but understanding, if he’s sold. Spurs need healthy attackers and Coco’s time in north London could come to an end.

Prediction: Offers are made, but ultimately stays.

Marcus Edwards: The youngster known as “English Messi” spent the season on loan to Dutch side Excelsior and played quite well, logging over 2,300 minutes. Ultimately, Excelsior were relegated but it wasn’t for his lack of effort. Edwards has one year remaining on his contract and, while he’s always had the talent, his attitude was the problem if reports are to believed. He may yet get a chance, but this summer’s pre-season is probably his final opportunity.

Prediction: Sold, most likely to a Championship side.

Christian Eriksen: The talisman of the “Bale Seven” back in the summer of 2013, Eriksen has been one of the most important players for Tottenham Hotspur since. Every report regarding his future has basically been the same: He loves the club, he’s happy in London but it may be time to take that final step in his career to see if he can do it at a mega club like Real Madrid. The offer has been on the table for him since January but if Real come calling and a fair offer is put on the table he is as good as gone. The monkey wrench in this deal is that the Spanish giants are bringing in Eden Hazard and targeted Paul Pogba. The first deal is the worst kept secret in Europe while the second looks like it will get over the line. If it’s determined that’s good enough, Eriksen probably re-signs. Right now? I lean toward him being gone because Real won’t be happy unless they spend half a billion this summer.

Prediction: Sold to Real Madrid.