Johan Lange responds to Spurs fan criticism about late transfer deals

Spurs’ technical director Johan Lange has explained why the club had to wait until the final days of the transfer window to bring outfield players through the door. He insists that Tottenham were forced to wait despite being ready to do their business early.

Tottenham finish the January window with a flurry

Spurs had a respectable end to the transfer window, securing Kevin Danso from Lens in a permanent deal and Mathys Tel on loan from Bayern Munich with an option to buy.

They join goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who signed in the first few days of January from Slavia Prague. While these are three decent additions that strengthen the squad, question marks remain on why Tottenham did not make their moves early.

The club are dealing with a major injury crisis and Ange Postecoglou could have certainly done with some reinforcements early in the month.

Johan Lange explains why Spurs did their business late

Johan Lange claims that Tottenham were ready to do all their business on January 1 if it were possible, but the market dynamics meant they were forced to wait to get the players they wanted.

The Dane discussed the complications of doing business mid-season, revealing that the situation became even trickier due to the new extended formats of the European competitions.

When it was pointed out to Lange that some Spurs were wondering why the business was not done sooner, he told the club’s official channel: “That is a fair, fair question. We as a club, we would have liked to have done all the signings on the first of January. We were ready to do that, but it is not as easy as that. And I think this, this January, here in particular, the dynamic changed a little bit.

“We’re not the only team who has injuries, and also the dynamic of the new European format, both meaning that all the clubs competing in the European competitions this season here have had to play group matches in January, which is never the case.

“Normally, the clubs will know their fate in the European competition in December but the fact is that there are two group games in the last part of January, as well as more teams who are going through the group phase into the playoff stages and those things mean that there was not that clubs were more reluctant.

“It’s also about finding the right can you say, finding the right players here to come into the team. So it’s not about buying the first players available, it also has to be the right player, both for now, but also for the future.

“I think in the first two weeks of January, I think there were 12 transfers within the whole of the Premier League and that says a lot. So you can, of course, influence things, but you cannot completely dictate the whole transfer window dynamics.”

Players are reluctant to move mid-season

Lange also remarked that some players are not overly enthusiastic about the idea of changing clubs midseason and starting abruptly in a new environment.

He explained that the decision also involves major off-field complications on the part of the players, which add a further layer of difficulty in getting deals over the line.

The Tottenham technical director added: “Some players are also sometimes uncomfortable making a change mid-season because they want to see the season out. They want to arrive at a new club, having had a full preseason.

“We are asking players and player’s families to make a move because inside 24 hours, you’re leaving your country, you’re starting you’re playing the next day and so there are a lot of factors that most transactions are done in the summer and but again, as I said, we were ready to go from the first of January.

“I think sitting here, we spend all days of the window to try to get the business done and we have brought three players in which we are also certain that they will contribute to the club in a very positive way.”

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