Tottenham Hotspur made unwanted history last year when they became the first Premier League to not sign a single player in the summer transfer window.
Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino knew money would be tight during the construction of the new stadium, and that was a factor as the club failed to sign any reinforcements in January.
And for much of the season, the Argentine has worked wonders with his current squad, overachieving with a largely unimproved side that has been badly hit by injuries.
However, in the past week, this lack of transfer activity has come back to haunt Tottenham, highlighting how failing to sign any players can affect any team.
On Tuesday, Spurs lost 1-0 to Ajax in the semi-finals of the Champions League. On Saturday, they lost 1-0 to Bournemouth in the Premier League, missing an opportunity to secure a top-four finish.
In both matches, injuries and suspensions left Pochettino short of options. Harry Kane, Harry Winks, Serge Aurier, Erik Lamela, and Jan Vertonghen were all missing for the Bournemouth match.
Son Heung-Min missed out against Ajax through suspension but was sent off against the Cherries along with Juan Foyth, further depleting Tottenham’s squad and forcing the remaining players to work harder – which could have ramifications in the coming days.
For other top clubs, these absences would be problematic, but not disastrous thanks to the depth of their squads. But because Tottenham have not added to their side, absences threaten to derail their season.
Spurs stumbling over the finish line this season highlights what can go wrong if a club does not use the transfer window – for whatever reason – to strengthen their squad and build for the future.
