Tottenham missed out signing Brentford star Igor Thiago in the January transfer window
Not many expected Tottenham to find themselves in their current position in the Premier League at this stage of the campaign. The Lilywhites are just five points clear of the relegation zone, making it difficult for fans to place complete faith in the present group of players. Their dismal league form eventually led the North Londoners to sack Thomas Frank earlier last week, with Igor Tudor stepping in as his short-term replacement until the end of the season.
More than the manager, it is the players who need to take responsibility for the poor performances in the Premier League. There have been several occasions when the current squad has failed to get the basics right, and that is one of the main reasons Thomas Frank was shown the door just nine months into his tenure at N17. The lack of investment by the Lewis family during the winter window is another key factor behind Spurs finding themselves stranded in the bottom half of the league table.
Despite being embroiled in a relegation dogfight, the Spurs hierarchy failed to properly back Thomas Frank in January. Not enough signings were made, and the glaring issues within the squad were left unresolved as the Lilywhites attempted to return to winning ways. The promise of granting Frank a “war chest” for the winter window proved to be nothing more than a false dawn, with the North Londoners failing to recruit enough players capable of making an immediate impact at N17.
Tottenham slammed for disregarding Brentford star Igor Thiago
Before Igor Thiago signed a new contract extension at Brentford, the Brazilian was strongly linked with a move to Tottenham. The Lilywhites were keen on bringing him to N17 as they looked to strengthen their attack for the remainder of the season. However, the club ultimately failed to convince the Bees to part ways with their leading goalscorer, who went on to extend his stay at the West London club until 2029.
Tim Sherwood, however, believes that Spurs were never genuinely interested in the forward due to his association with Brentford. Speaking on Sky Sports (via Goodison News), Sherwood said,
“If you’re Tottenham now, for example, how many players of theirs are you going to take? They would turn their nose up at most of them. You can argue that Igor Thiago has hit the ground running in the Premier League. But teams like Tottenham, like Everton, like whoever, they would turn their nose up at those players. It just shows you it’s not about the individuals, it’s about the collective.”
Sherwood claims that Tottenham would not look to sign players from Brentford, viewing the Bees as a mid-table Premier League side. The former Spurs manager suggests that the Lilywhites would also overlook Igor Thiago, despite him scoring 17 goals for Keith Andrews’ side this season. He adds that the North Londoners would place greater importance on where a player operates rather than how well they perform.
Given Spurs’ struggles in the January transfer window, it is difficult to fully agree with Sherwood’s assessment. The Lilywhites have often approached the market with an open mind and have shown a willingness to sign players who can improve the squad, regardless of their club status. This is underlined by the fact that Thomas Frank was keen on signing Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford in the summer, before the Cameroon international opted to join Manchester United instead.
As a result, the suggestion that the North Londoners would “turn their noses up” at certain players does not sit well. Spurs have regularly looked to make shrewd acquisitions when opportunities arise, and Sherwood’s criticism is unlikely to resonate with supporters given the club’s recent approach in the transfer market.