Pochettino could promote Spurs youth player as Harry Kane backup

It's the January transfer window and Tottenham have one glaring position of need: a backup to Harry Kane. Consequently, Spurs are linked to just about every available striker in world football, and a few that aren't available. But Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is adamant that Spurs are not going to purchase anyone just for the sake of filling a hole.

Spurs journo Ben Pearce interviewed Poche for a piece in the Hampstead & Highgate Express where Poche lays this out pretty clearly, and even goes as far as to suggest that he'll promote someone out of the academy if the right signing doesn't come along.

"There's a lot of players and names that want to come to us because Tottenham is a big club.

"I think the project is very attractive - the philosophy, how the team plays. There's a lot of players that want to come and it's important for us to pick the right players. If it's not possible now it's not a big problem for me.

"Maybe the people or you are worried or concerned about different things but I'm happy with the squad we have.

"I've always told you we need to add the right profile or people or players to improve us. If we don't find the right player that can improve us, then why do it? To bring a player just to bring him in? This is not our philosophy. We have enough quality, we have younger players in our academy with a lot of potential like Shayon [Harrison] and Kazaiah Sterling.

"I can give a lot of names that are very young and are hungry and can help us to achieve everything.

"It's ok and you are right that we can add some players to help us and improve the squad, but if we don't find this player we have enough youngsters to help us."

Are you surprised by this statement from Pochettino? You shouldn't be. It's the same position he had last summer when he ended the transfer window with only Harry Kane on the roster as a recognized striker, and it's not the first time he's reiterated it this window.

Spurs are in a tricky position with this particular area of need. They're not going to go after someone who can challenge Harry Kane for minutes right now since they already have one of the best strikers in the world. What they need is someone who's content to come in and sit the bench, play in cups, Europa, and as a rotation option, and who won't upset the team chemistry too much. That generally means one of three options: either a young striker with a high ceiling who is content to bide his time as he continues to develop (like Fulham's Mousa Dembele), a journeyman who knows his place but who can come in and do a job (like Steven Fletcher), or a hybrid player who can slot in at a number of positions, including up top (like Saido Berahino).

And if it's the young up and comer, then why not take a chance on an academy player if the right signing doesn't present itself? Sure, there's risk involved with promoting a youth teamer, but that's also how Spurs got Harry Kane to begin with. It's a high-risk high-reward proposition, and it's only a major issue of Harry Kane is gassed or injured.

It's important to reiterate that we have no real idea what Spurs will do. Lyall Thomas has suggested that Spurs have narrowed their list of targets down to three but has declined to state who they might be (other than confirming that Jackson Martinez isn't one of them). There's a decent chance that Spurs will sign someone. But if they don't, don't be surprised if Spurs will dance with those that brought them.