Mauricio Pochettino ready to improve Tottenham squad in summer transfer window
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino admits he must improve his squad during the summer transfer window after being dumped out of the Europa League by Borussia Dortmund. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to end Spurs' European campaign which allows them to turn their full attention to their Premier League title challenge.
The north London were outclassed for long periods of both legs and never came close to staging an upset and reaching the quarter-finals. Heung-Min Son scored a late consolation but in the absence of the rested Harry Kane there was little hope for Pochettino's side.
Dortmund, who are just five points adrift of Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich - themselves in the last eight of the Champions League - progress as the favourites to go on a lift the trophy in May's final in Basel. Pochettino therefore believes the tie was a good barometer of Tottenham's capabilities and says the club will look to add further depth to their squad.
"In the period that we play Borussia Dortmund I think it was our worst period of the season," he told reporters of his Tottenham squad who joined Manchester United in tumbling out of the competition at the last 16 stage. "It is true that it is a good test for us and we can see how is our level and the depth of our squad and it is important for taking some [transfer] decisions for the future.
"It is true that it means playing in the Europa League or the Champions League or trying to fight in difficult competitions in the same season you need to improve and I think we need to improve our squad on the whole but it was a good test to improve. We are very young and it is true that it was a good tie to feel the real level in Europe. I think we competed with a team at Champions League level not Europa League level."
Tottenham now face eight games in the Premier League to ensure they qualify for next season's Champions League, while they will hope to overhaul Leicester City and claim a first league title for 55 years. Pochettino says the last 16 exit can help focus his squad ahead of the remainder of the campaign.
"We have eight games in the Premier League and we need to try and win every game," the Tottenham boss, whose side face AFC Bournemouth this weekend, added. "We need to start on Sunday and we are in a position where we can fight for everything and we ned to try. Now we focus on the league and and try to win every game. This is our intention."
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