3 Targets for Tottenham Hotspur to Hit in 2016

2016 has the potential to be a seismic year for Tottenham Hotspur. 

One of England's traditional big clubs, Spurs slipped down a peg or two in the early 1990s and have spent the better part of two decades standing on the outside looking in.

With a new stadium under construction and an exciting young team being shaped by a rising star in manager Mauricio Pochettino, the situation is promising on and off the pitch. 

A long unbeaten streak and a gradual move up the Premier League table had seen some ambitious fans and pundits suggest Spurs as dark horses for this season's title, but 2016 is unlikely to be see the culmination of the club's ambitions.

Instead, this year should be one in which the component parts of Tottenham's bright future continue to be assembled. 

The first steps toward the Promised Land can be taken in the January transfer window. 

Having outplayed the league's top two teams already this season, Spurs have proved that their first team can compete with the best that England has to offer. 

There is no desperation, no need for risk in this window, but chairman Daniel Levy can ensure his club's sustained presence in the top four with some shrewd moves in the coming weeks. 

The most glaring weakness in the squad is at centre forward. Harry Kane is a legitimate star, but there are few options that would enable Pochettino to rest or rotate him. The long-term knee injury suffered by summer acquisition Clinton Njie exacerbates this problem. 

Pochettino has consistently made the point that he sees the positional flexibility of Nacer Chadli and Heung-Min Son as proof that he doesn't need a new striker, but that is an overly optimistic approach. 

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West Brom's Saido Berahino, Spurs' top transfer target in the offseason, should remain Tottenham's priority this month, but other options are out there. 

Surely Paul Mitchell's vaunted scouting expertise can produce an alternative if Berahino's much-observed personality issues preclude a move for him. 

Once Spurs' weakness at the striker position is resolved, there should be funds remaining to reinforce the squad in other areas. 

Given Federico Fazio's apparent status as persona non grata at the club, the pursuit of an additional central defender would seem a smart move. 

Similarly, if Andros Townsend is to move on, as reported by Sky Sports, another pacey wide player should be sought. 

In the summer, squad depth will again be prioritised. 

Young players with the potential to break into the first team, along the same lines as the signings of Dele Alli and Eric Dier, will have the minimum disruptive effect on a team that is growing into something truly exciting. 

This target is entirely within Spurs' control. The club have the funds to make it happen, and they have a negotiator capable of striking the deals in Levy. 

Mitchell's scouting prowess and Pochettino's proven willingness to hand talented youngsters a first-team opportunity should make Tottenham one of Europe's most attractive destinations for rising stars. 

The club have already missed out on the signature of Demarai Gray, who has now joined Leicester City from Birmingham City, but there is plenty of time in this window to make some smart signings.  

Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is Tottenham's finest individual player. He is also one of the few in the squad that possess big-game experience, having played Champions League football with Lyon. That is one reason why he was appointed club captain this season, but he admits his leadership can only go so far. 

Lloris told London24.com: "You need experience. You can’t buy it. You need to play games, you need to lose, you need to win."

Spurs are rich with potential but poor in terms of experience. They reached the League Cup final in Pochettino's first year in charge but were beaten by the cunning of Jose Mourinho's Chelsea. 

That group of players is battle-hardened and know how to win the big games. Spurs must learn that particular skill this year. 

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The most obvious route is to end the club's eight-year trophy drought. 

The FA Cup and Europa League are both realistic targets for Pochettino's team this season. Claiming either trophy would require defeating a number of top sides and help prepare the team for greater challenges to come. 

A return to the Champions League is Tottenham's ultimate goal in 2016. Six years after their only campaign since the rebranding of the old European Cup, Spurs look likely to qualify once again. 

They have been in similar positions in previous years, notably in Harry Redknapp's final season, but this Tottenham team are rugged and built on a solid foundation that should last the distance.  

The impact of Champions League football on a club's finances is no longer as significant as it once was. 

Where the riches of Europe's top competition were once profoundly impactful on a club, the ever-rising Premier League television contracts have diminished that effect. 

Spurs do not need Champions League football for the money. 

The transformative effect is not on players' wage packets but on the the prestige of the club. 

In recent years, their best players have left in search of opportunities to play at the absolute top level. Gareth Bale and Luka Modric went to Real Madrid but were also tempted by Manchester United and Chelsea respectively. The attraction of the Europa League's big brother is hard to overstate. 

While a single season in the Champions League will not suddenly make Tottenham Europe's finest club, it is a hugely important step towards joining the elite. 

With a new London stadium under construction, a world-class training facility already in use and the riches of the Premier League at their disposal, the Champions League is the one thing that Spurs lack.

Winning a third English First Division title is the ultimate target for Tottenham, but that won't happen in 2016. 

Adding strength in depth to an already powerful squad, winning a trophy and qualifying for the Champions League would all bring the club closer to that lofty goal and those things can all happen this year. 

Each would be watershed moments on the long journey to joining the exclusive group atop the European club game.