Ange Postecoglou hails ‘positive window’ as Tottenham rule out further signings
Ange Postecoglou has declared himself happy with his current Tottenham squad and believes it has been a positive transfer window for the club.
Spurs are set for a quiet deadline day with outgoings the priority after a summer where Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke have arrived.
Tottenham are ready to sanction moves for out-of-favour duo Sergio Reguilon and Giovani Lo Celso, but Postecoglou has all but ruled out any more signings before 11pm.
“Unless something surprising jumps out at us in the last 11 hours or whatever it is, that’s it for us,” the Spurs boss confirmed ahead of Sunday’s trip to Newcastle.
“If nothing else happens, there’s a couple probably moving out, I think it’s been another positive window.
“You want to go into every window and come out the other side of it in a stronger sense and I certainly feel that.
“The players we’ve brought in are already making a short-term impact and even in the longer term, I think they’re going to be really good contributors for us.
“I certainly think we’ve got a more well-rounded squad to deal with Europe, the extra games and whatever injuries we have. So yeah, I think it’s been a real positive window.
“I’m very happy. We’ve done a hell of a lot of work in 12 months, three windows. No doubts the squad’s changed.
“The demographic of the squad has changed, the suitability to the football I want to play, we’re much better equipped for that. There’s growth in the team, absolutely.
“We needed to do some fairly major work 12 months ago and since then we’ve gone a long way to getting the team to where we want to.
“There’s still more work to be done. It was never going to happen quickly. I don’t think it should happen quickly. When it does happen quickly, you’re more fraught to getting it wrong. So I think we’re in a good place.”
With Reguilon and Lo Celso into the final 12 months of their contracts at Tottenham, Postecoglou made clear his desire for them to move on.
Real Betis are reportedly interested in bringing Lo Celso back to the club, but Reguilon’s future could be decided after Friday’s 11pm deadline with other transfer windows shutting later in September.
“It’s fair to say both players are exploring options,” Postecoglou said.
“There’s other windows open as well, so we’ll see what activity there is, but they’re both exploring options.
“They’ve got decisions about their own careers and what they want to do.
“If they’re still here, they’re still here. We’ll work around that scenario, but it certainly won’t affect the way we work in the first team.”
Spurs will be without both Dominic Solanke (ankle) and Richarlison (muscle) for the trip to Newcastle.
Rodrigo Bentancur is available after he passed concussion protocols, but Postecoglou expressed his frustration for Richarlison, who missed the whole of pre-season following a calf injury.
“Richy pulled up sore. I think there’s a muscle injury there, we’re just getting more information, but he’ll be out as well,” Postecoglou said.
“It’s frustrating probably for him as much as anyone else but frustrating for us, too.”
Alfie Devine is expected to leave Spurs on loan and Under-21 goalkeeper Josh Keeley is set to join Leyton Orient on loan, the PA news agency understands.