Grading Tottenham Hotspur on Their 2016 Summer Transfer Window Business

Amid enforced corporate limitations, a football club's social media output is largely restricted to an almost self-contained, self-obsessed world. Yet when it does break free into the sport's public—and not always flattering—reality, it can connect in entertaining fashion.

Tottenham Hotspur acknowledged their lengthy pursuit of Georges-Kevin Nkoudou finally being completed on transfer deadline day with a video rehash of articles and related comments detailing their reported interest in the Marseille winger. Accompanied by suitably ironic dramatic music, its concluding glimpse of the player in his new club's colours confirmed the deal had finally been done.

The north London club get top marks for their admission Nkoudou's signing tried everyone's patience. The grade for their overall 2016 summer transfer window business does not fall too short of that either.

Manager Mauricio Pochettino faced a dilemma all coaches coming off a strong campaign for their team encounter: stick or twist.

How much do you keep faith with a squad that seriously competed for the Premier League title? Where can you strengthen it, and are there any players realistically available to do so?

This time around, his preparations also had to take into account the different challenges presented by Champions League football.

"You know I think we have a big challenge ahead because now to repeat our performance and try to improve and to play Champions League, for a lot of players it is a new competition," Pochettino said prior to his side's season-opening 1-1 draw with Everton. "It is true that we will spend more energy than playing in the Europa League and we need to deal and manage in a different way than last season."

While recognising the need for some new additions, it was clear he had quickly come to the conclusion the bulk of his playing staff was in good shape. He was more than willing to get to work on making a predominantly young—and now even more experienced—group even better.

"It's true at the end of the season we all felt disappointed in the way that we finished the Premier League," the Spurs boss recalled of their heads dropping after losing out to Leicester City in the title race. "But if we are clever we need to improve from our mistakes and we need to show that we are clever."

Time will tell just how smart the transfer dealings the north Londoners made have correlated with this desire. At this early stage, there is at least understandable logic to Spurs' moves.

As detailed above by French football journalist Jonathan Johnson, Tottenham are not getting the finished product in Nkoudou.

Still only 21, a move to England at this stage carries the risk of stunting his growth as a player if he does not settle or get the right opportunities. Another attacker in Clinton Njie has headed in the opposite direction on a season-long loan with Marseille after his own struggles in that process following his arrival last year (albeit they were chiefly exacerbated by a lengthy absence through injury).

Spurs' need to expand their attacking options and the Frenchman's evident potential made him worth investing in.

They have been without a natural winger since the departures of Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend. Although more utilised on the left compared to those predominant right-siders, Nkoudou's mix of pace and final-third production should give the team width that does not rely on forays forward from the full-backs.

That obviously would mean adjusting what has been a significant part of Spurs' game plan under Pochettino. The Argentinian will have almost certainly taken this into account in devising how he intends to incorporate the new man.

"It suits my playing style, it's explosive," Nkoudou said of the Premier League to his new club's official website. "Everyone knows I'm fast, I like to dribble around players, so the English league is best for me."

Most pleasing for Pochettino—and perhaps crucial in persuading him to sign the French youth international given his liking for youthful talent less world-weary—is the player's seeming openness to learn.

"Last year I made a lot of progress by listening to those around me, whether at Marseille or within family," Nkoudou added. "I listen, that is one of my strengths. If I want to keep making progress, I have to keep listening."

Another of Tottenham's deadline-day signings, Moussa Sissoko, is not as primed to be moulded by his new manager. At 27 and with three years' Premier League experience under his belt, the France international has been signed to deliver his best as quickly as possible.

As seen in the above video, that best is a thrust and explosive power capable of hitting opponents directly. Capable of being deployed around midfield, Pochettino evidently believes the former Newcastle United man's versatility is an upgrade on that of another utility man in Ryan Mason.

The academy product enjoyed a fruitful season in Pochettino's first year in charge but has been sold to Hull City after an inconsistent, injury-hit second year. Save for a surprisingly poor end to the campaign, there was always a reliable level of determination about Mason's play.

To move him on, Spurs want and need more than that.

On paper, Sissoko should be the player who brings more physicality and directness to the team's sometimes-meandering attack. He was so erratic during his Newcastle days there is understandably some skepticism, though.

Sissoko's international and now club captain Hugo Lloris is confident the midfielder can make a positive difference.

"I know him very well, we have been together with the national team for a while, I think he’s the kind of player that can help the team to achieve good things and, for sure, he will adapt quickly to our philosophy and our style," Lloris told Spurs' official website.

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"The good thing is that he's played in the Premier League for a while so he knows the competition well and he's a high-level player because he’s played for the national team too."

Further change in Tottenham's midfield occurred earlier in the transfer window.

Victor Wanyama is now three matches into his Spurs stay after joining from Southampton. He headed in the winner at home to Crystal Palace and performed decently in draws with Everton and Liverpool.

The balance between him and Eric Dier in central midfield has been perhaps a little too defensive. Yet, when the latter was switched to right-back against the Reds to cover for the stricken Kyle Walker, Wanyama showed something more akin to Mousa Dembele's invigorating dynamism (similar was seen in the opener against Everton when Dier went off, except the Kenyan was still getting more used to his new side then).

Dembele has become a figure around whom so much discussion on Spurs' midfield is based, so good was he last season. He cannot rest on his laurels when he returns from his suspension (one game remaining from the ban dating back to May), but perform as he did in 2015-16 and Pochettino will be building around him again for sure.

Wanyama is likely then to be competing with Dier for that holding berth. At the least, he should see reasonable involvement in rotation designed to avoid the reliance Spurs had on the England midfielder's protective presence last season.

All three could play together when tougher assignments, particularly away from home, warrant more solidity. Bringing Wanyama in to provide this was confirmation Pochettino wanted more than what some in the squad were providing.

Along with Mason leaving for Hull, Nabil Bentaleb's loan move to Schalke has shown how quickly things have changed.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press/Associated Press

Both brought good energy and a nice balance between each other to Spurs' midfield for a time. Now a more recognisable strength and power has been prioritised, with a more pass-minded style left to Tom Carroll and Harry Winks to offer when called upon (the latter was brought on to help see out the draw with Liverpool).

Given Bentaleb struggled badly for form and fitness last season, his (temporary) departure is no big shock. But given it was only last year his agreeing a new contract was greeted so happily, it is still notable how quickly things changed.

Attacking midfielder Alex Pritchard and full-back DeAndre Yedlin both hoped they would be part of Pochettino's thinking last year. They have both been sold this summer to Championship clubs Norwich City and Newcastle, respectively.

Pritchard and Mason's exits have shown the other side of Tottenham working so hard to develop their academy players—if they become surplus to requirements, they can be sold for decent transfer fees, too. Mason has gone for in the region of £10 million, according to the Guardian's Louise Taylor, Pritchard for around £8 million, per the Press Association.

Encouraging pre-seasons for the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Marcus Edwards and Shayon Harrison has reinforced hopes the next generation could make an impact at some point. For the time being, there are some positions that require outside additions.

The loan signing of Pau Lopez from Espanyol seems to be a concession Luke McGee is not ready to join Michel Vorm in providing the level of back-up wanted for first-choice goalkeeper Lloris. McGee has joined Peterborough until January and will hope to get the senior playing opportunities to prove otherwise.

Tottenham's biggest need heading into the summer was reinforcing an attack so heavily reliant on Harry Kane's goals.

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Netherlands international Vincent Janssen was signed from AZ Alkmaar and has made an immediately positive impression with his hard-running style. Pochettino seems to have taken to him, too, already looking to pair the aggressive frontman with Kane.

There has been plenty to like about their individual efforts still—notably Janssen helping Spurs back into the game against Everton and Kane assisting Wanyama's goal against Crystal Palace.

The two have not immediately clicked as a partnership, though. They are still figuring out how to impact games jointly, as well as work in tune with creative promptings from midfield.

Kane and Janssen are intelligent enough players and Pochettino a sufficiently practical coach that they should figure things out soon enough. But the initial challenges in this department are a timely reminder of the work required integrating new signings.

Altogether, Tottenham have strengthened their squad in the necessary areas and added talents not out of place with last season's title-challengers.

They should have enough to help get through what will be another demanding year. To be successful, too, however, they must take games to their opponents as aggressively and confidently as they did for much of last season.

Overall Summer 2016 Transfer Grade: B+

Quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.