Tottenham have completed so many 'second choice' signings, one deal is particularly bad
Tottenham Hotspur's transfer business in the summer was largely targeted at talents considered as a second choice.
That is the opinion of former senior Tottenham scout, Bryan King, speaking exclusively to Football Insider.
The Lilywhites added 10 new players to Roberto De Zerbi's squad and spent over £400million, but have started the season awfully.
Tottenham are without a win in any of their opening four Premier League games, having failed to score a single goal, and were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Liverpool on Tuesday.
The most eye-catching of the arrivals was Sandro Tonali, who has arrived in a £100m move from Newcastle United but is yet to give merit to that price tag.
The Italian left St James' Park in the same summer as Bruno Guimaraes, who joined Arsenal in a deal worth around £75m.
'Sandro Tonali isn't the player Bruno Guimaraes is'
While Tonali has struggled to adapt to life in North London, Guimaraes made his first big impression last week.
The Brazilian's thunderous strike against Sunderland saw Arsenal take the lead and keep it, with his pass also leading to Bukayo Saka's late penalty.
"I just look at the side and I think the money that they've spent, it seems to me as though they've got the second choice on the next batch of quality players that have been moved during the summer," King told Football Insider.
"You know what I mean? I mean, look at the two main players that left Newcastle, Guimaraes and Tonali. Tonali cost £25m more than what Guimaraes did, and for me, Tonali isn't the player that Guimaraes is.
"Guimaraes was the heart of Newcastle, Tonali wasn't. I just think if you'd have signed Guimaraes and gone for him, I don't think Arsenal would have gone for Tonali, that's for sure.
"It just seems desperate. 'Let's appease the supporters by showing that we're going to buy these players, we're going to spend the money.'"
Roberto De Zerbi makes eye-opening Tonali admission
To spend £100m on a Premier League midfielder, it would be expected that a Premier League standout would arrive ready to go.
That is what has been the case with Guimaraes at Arsenal, yet De Zerbi appears to have refused to ask for the same from Tonali.
"I think it can happen also the time maybe he needs more time to understand a new club. I remember in the first season in AC Milan, the second season, they won the Scudetto, Serie A, but in the first season he suffered," he said earlier this month.
"And then in the second season. Hopefully, we want him to play at a good level already in the first season, but maybe for a new player, it’s different now, the dressing room.”