Ange Postecoglou reveals how Tottenham had to settle for Dominic Solanke and teenagers after missing out on top Premier League signings in London

Ange Postecoglou has opened up about the difficulties he faced in trying to strengthen Tottenham after finishing fifth in the Premier League.

In a revealing conversation on the Overlap’s Stick to Football podcast, the former Spurs boss explained how he had targeted established players like Pedro Neto, Bryan Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo, and Marc Guehi but ultimately had to settle for Dominic Solanke and three teenage signings.

The 60-year-old Australian’s comments came shortly after Spurs sacked Thomas Frank, his successor, and offered a candid look at the constraints that have long shaped Tottenham’s transfer strategy.

From Fifth Place to Ambitions of Champions League

“When we finished fifth, I immediately thought, how do we go from here to challenging at the very top?” Postecoglou said.

“We needed Premier League-ready players.

But finishing fifth didn’t get us Champions League football, so our budget was limited.

We ended up signing Dom Solanke — I was fully behind that — and then three teenagers.”

Solanke was brought in as a replacement for Harry Kane, who had departed for Bayern Munich a year earlier.

The teenagers were Lucas Bergvall, Archie Gray, and Wilson Odobert, arriving in the summer of 2024 for a combined fee of nearly £80 million.

Postecoglou stressed that while these young players are incredibly talented, they were not ready to push Spurs from fifth into the top four immediately.

The Players Spurs Missed Out On

Postecoglou revealed he had his sights set on Premier League-ready stars to elevate the squad quickly.

Chelsea snapped up Pedro Neto for £54 million from Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2024, while Manchester United signed Bryan Mbeumo for £71 million.

Marc Guehi moved to Manchester City for £20 million despite having only six months left on his Crystal Palace contract, and City also acquired Semenyo from Bournemouth for £65 million.

“Those are the kind of signings big clubs make when they’re aiming to go from fifth to really challenging at the top,” Postecoglou said.

“It’s not just what’s told to you internally; it’s what goes out publicly.

Tottenham, from my experience, still says, ‘We’re one of the big boys,’ but financially, the reality is different.”

Financial Constraints and the Impact of Europa League Football

Postecoglou explained that Tottenham’s financial limitations stemmed partly from stadium investments and partly from missing out on Champions League revenue.

“If we had finished fourth in 2024, we might have had more to spend in the transfer market.

Instead, we went into the Europa League, which we won, but it didn’t change the spending power,” he said.

He also highlighted the pivotal role Harry Kane played at Spurs over the last decade.

“People underestimate what he brought to the team.

Even in the last friendly before he left, he scored four goals.

Losing him isn’t like replacing him with Erling Haaland.

That’s the reality we were facing.”

Spurs’ Position in the Transfer Market

Postecoglou’s reflections underscore a recurring theme: Tottenham has often struggled to compete financially with the league’s elite clubs.

While Arsenal can spend massive fees on players like Declan Rice, Spurs have traditionally operated with more restraint, balancing ambition with economic realities.

The challenge now for Tottenham’s next manager is to navigate these constraints while maintaining competitiveness in the Premier League and Europe.

Postecoglou’s experience illustrates the fine line between ambition and pragmatism in modern football management.

What’s Next?

For Spurs, the immediate priority is stabilizing under new leadership while finding players who can make a difference in both the Premier League and European competitions.

Observers will be watching closely to see whether the club maintains its focus on youth or finally secures the kind of Premier League-ready signings Postecoglou had originally envisioned.

The financial realities and past transfer frustrations will likely shape Tottenham’s strategy for the coming seasons.

Summary

Ange Postecoglou has revealed the challenges he faced strengthening Tottenham after finishing fifth in the Premier League, noting that he targeted established players like Pedro Neto, Bryan Mbeumo, Antoine Semenyo, and Marc Guehi but had to settle for Dominic Solanke and three teenagers.

Financial constraints, partly due to missing Champions League revenue and stadium costs, limited Spurs’ transfer options.

Postecoglou emphasized Harry Kane’s critical role and warned that while the young signings are talented, they were not enough to immediately push Spurs into the top four.

His reflections offer insight into the club’s transfer limitations and ambitions moving forward.