Mauricio Pochettino demands Tottenham sign 'a few players' before deadline day

Tottenham Hotspur remain keen on making several signings before the end of the summer transfer window having failed to add to their squad during the off-season, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino. The north Londoners are the only club in the top four divisions in England not to have made a signing with less than a week to go until the Premier League resumes.

Everton midfielder Ross Barkley and Southampton's Paulo Gazziniga have both been linked with a move to Spurs in recent days yet there has been no further movement on either of the deals. Kyle Walker has meanwhile joined Manchester City meaning last term's runners-up face head into the new campaign with a weaker squad than the one which finished last season.

Pochettino believes Tottenham threaten to start the season behind their main rivals for the title and has regularly urged the club's hierarchy, namely chairman Daniel Levy, to ramp up attempts to bring in new faces. And according to the ex-Southampton coach that work will continue and has not changed since the injury to Kieran Trippier picked up against Juventus.

"We are working, trying to add some players to the squad," he said, according to The Independent. "Our idea was, the same as before, to try to provide the team with more strength and try to sign a few players before the end of the transfer window."

Fifteen players have left Tottenham this season, the latest deal taking Josh Onomah - one of the stars of the England Under-20 side which won the World Cup this summer - moving to Aston Villa. The midfielder made his debut for the club in the 1-1 Championship draw with Hull City on Saturday [5 August], coming off the bench to make a 12-minute cameo after his surprising departure.

Onomah has accumulated 32 appearances for Tottenham across the last four seasons and was expected to kick-on this term after impressing for his country. But Pochettino says his spell at Villa Park will enhance his football education.

"Because every six months we need to review every single situation and Josh, after the U20 World Cup I think in his mind it was too play more and prove himself that he can play," Pochettino explained, according to the Birmingham Mail. "There were a lot of rumours about his position on the pitch.

"He can play as an 8, a 6, a 7 or 10 or 11, I think that is not the problem. He needs to prove himself that he can play. It's a great opportunity for him now at Aston Villa to prove himself and prove to everyone that he is a player that can learn and improve and will be useful for Tottenham."