Tottenham Should Not Fear Life Without Gareth Bale

It may be difficult to assure Tottenham fans that this is an exciting summer as they attempt to get to grips with Gareth Bale’s desire to leave the club but if supporters ignore the hysteria surrounding the Welshman’s exit, they will be encouraged by what is going on.

The wait is over. After years of getting it wrong (Darren Bent £16m; Mido £4.5m; Grzegorz Rasiak £2m and so on) or not bothering at all, Tottenham have signed a striker. 

The acquisition of Roberto Soldado may not be enough to push the impending departure of Gareth Bale out of the spotlight, but it is a decisive and positive move from Spurs nonetheless. 

Tottenham soldier on. They have probably lost the battle with Madrid over Bale but in Soldado, they suddenly look well equipped for the war on fourth place, or possibly beyond.

Daniel Levy has broken the club’s transfer record twice in one summer, with Soldado following on from the arrival of Paulinho for £17m. A cool £50m has been spent so far this summer, making Spurs the second biggest spenders in the league. Go figure.

And while the arrival of steely Brazilian strength boosts the midfield, it’s Soldado’s move that will excite.

Spurs’ desperation for a striker has been painfully obvious but now they have man who can expect to score 20 Premier League goals this season. 

Soldado, entrusted with carrying on where David Villa left off, has scored more than 25 in all competitions in each of the past three campaigns for Valencia. 

In the past 21 seasons, nobody other than Bale has ended with 25 or more, so at its simplest level, Spurs have improved.

Andre Villas-Boas has a predator on his hands. All of Soldado’s goals last season arrived from inside the penalty area and if Nacer Chadli and Aaron Lennon get their supply lines right, there’s enough ammunition for the new recruit to turn into goals.

Soldado has been criticised for offering little in terms of approach play and work outside the box but he has not been signed for this. Villas-Boas wants goals. Guile is a bonus, but Spurs are blessed with enough options going forward to negate any perceived limitations of Soldado’s game. 

Arsenal have struggled in the market this summer while Spurs have acted quickly and decisively. There was little fuss over the acquisition of Soldado – compare that to the ultimately futile pursuit of Gonzalo Higuain by Arsene Wenger. 

And while points are gained on pitches and not in boardrooms, Spurs’ bright moves this summer have given them an edge. They may not need to worry about a Bale out just yet.