After an enterprising summer transfer window, hopes are high among the Tottenham Hotspur fans that the 2019-20 campaign will be one where the club is pushing for major honours.
After the heartbreak of losing the Champions League final in Madrid at the end of last season, Spurs have looked to reinforce Mauricio Pochettino’s squad over the summer months.
The capture of Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso will please the Tottenham supporters and manager, while also creating more competition for places in the starting XI.
The French midfielder is expected to be a focal point in the heart of the team after starring for Lyon last season, with his ability to carry the ball, pick a pass and provide energy in the boiler room set to be critical to Spurs’ chances of success.
Sessegnon is a young player with lots of potential, with it likely that Pochettino will introduce him slowly into the first-team mix, probably on the left wing rather than at full-back.
Lo Celso’s highlights reel will excite the Tottenham faithful and the Argentine represents a replacement for Christian Eriksen, should the Dane be sold.
That said, the South American will need time to adapt to English football and deserves patience from the terraces.
Tottenham started the season with a 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Saturday evening, but it promises to be a long campaign with squad depth necessary.
Despite the new faces, Pochettino will look at his squad as a collective and has a number of fringe players ready to make an impact.
Here are three to look out for.
Juan Foyth
With Kieran Trippier being sold to Atletico Madrid and no specialist replacement being signed, the Tottenham right-back position promises to be an interesting fight for a first-team berth.
Of the three available options, Serge Aurier is the most experienced and on paper looks like possibly the frontrunner to claim the role on a regular basis.
Kyle Walker-Peters has bided his time and now has a great opportunity to get regular first-team minutes at Tottenham this season, with talk of a possible loan elsewhere not materialising.
However, in my opinion, Juan Foyth is the most-rounded and able option for Spurs.
The versatile youngster was first-choice right-back for Argentina at the Copa America over the summer and excelled in the competition.
His ability on the ball, reading of the game, energy and commitment mean he is a better player than Walker-Peters and more reliable than the error-prone Aurier.
Pochettino clearly rates his compatriot highly and this should be his breakthrough season at Tottenham.
Foyth has displayed some promising appearances for Spurs at centre-half but in the longer term, he has all the attributes to be a top-class right-back for the club – and another bargain signing.
Lucas Moura
Given Lucas Moura’s heroics in Amsterdam last season, it almost feels derogatory to include the Brazilian in a list of ‘fringe players’.
For those that bet on football, the former PSG man’s last-gasp strike against Ajax had the ability to make or break their predictions.
However, Moura has not been a first-team regular in his time at Tottenham.
When Dele Alli, Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Son Heung-min are all fit and available, it is inevitably the South American that misses out on a starting place – as seen in the final of the Champions League last term.
But, with Eriksen’s future unclear, Alli starting the season injured and Son suspended, Moura is set to be an important man for the North London club.
Despite Lo Celso’s signing, Lucas has a golden opportunity to become a nailed-on starter at Spurs now and live up to his massive potential.
Industrious, versatile and boasting lightning pace, Tottenham’s opponents will not relish playing against a motivated Moura this season.
While he has operated as a striker at times during his Spurs tenure, the Brazilian can make the right wing or right-sided attacking role his own in 2019-20.
If given an opportunity to play regularly and a prolonged run in the team, Moura can be one of Tottenham’s most-important players this season.
Troy Parrott
Tottenham have allowed Fernando Llorente to leave the club this summer and no specialist striker has been added to Pochettino’s ranks to cover the exit.
While Moura and Son are both able to play as a striker if Kane is not available, it would be great if Pochettino starts to giving rising star Troy Parrott some opportunities to play.
Tottenham fans love a player that has come through the youth ranks and under the current manager the club has a great record of young stars developing into first-team regulars.
The likes of Kane, Alli, Eric Dier and Harry Winks have all gone from exciting young talents to international-calibre stars in recent years at Spurs.
Parrott, 17, is arguably the brightest light shining out of the youth ranks and was given a chance to play in pre-season, starting against Juventus in a high-profile fixture.
While depending on the young Irishman will not be a situation that Pochettino wants to get into, if the teenager is given chances to feature from the bench and in cup games it could be the start of something special.
Parrott’s goalscoring record at youth level is phenomenal and while the step-up to senior football, especially at Premier League level, is huge, the teenager should be introduced to Pochettino’s first-team set-up in some capacity in 2019-20.