Striker Vincent Janssen will be part of Tottenham’s Premier League squad for the rest of the season after no deadline day move for him materialised, manager Mauricio Pochettino has said.
Spurs had hoped to sell Janssen — who last played for them in August 2017 — for around £15 million, but no offers materialised, and discussions with Real Betis and Schalke about a loan fell through.
Janssen was not registered in Spurs’ Premier League squad for the first half of the season and has recently been playing with the under-23s, but was been named in the squad list submitted on Friday.
“We now have two free places — with [Georges-Kevin] Nkoudou going to Monaco and [Mousa] Dembele to China — I think he’s going to be on the list,” Pochettino told a news conference.
“That is my decision, that he’s going to be involved with the first team from today and he’s going to be like another player with the chances — if he deserves it — to be in the squad or to play.
“For different reasons — but the principle reason was a sporting decision — one year ago we decided to send him on loan [to Fenerbahce], and then in the last year he didn’t play because he was injured.”
Pochettino said Spurs had tried to find a solution to the situation with Janssen wanting to leave, and added: “Always, he behaved well. That is so important, that he was very respectful with everyone.
“For different reasons he can’t go away — reasons that are difficult of course to understand for me. My decision straight away was to invite him in and to open the door to the first team.”
It has now been more than a year since Tottenham signed a player, and Pochettino said he would like to have strengthened his squad to boost their title chances.
“I’m a person that is so happy trying to help the project of the club,” he said. “My idea is not always the same as the club’s idea, or the chairman or the people that are in the club. But sometimes we are forced to take some decisions.
“Of course I wanted to strengthen the squad, but if we cannot and we cannot sign then I need to stick with the project of the club.
“But of course I’m disappointed because we’re in a very good position and maybe, with a little more help from some players, we cannot put the excuse that we are not a real contender.
“Tomorrow we’re going to try to win the three points [against Newcastle], and the next game the same, and then we will see at the end if we can win the Premier League.
“But if we win the league it’s not because we were prepared or we built a team to win the Premier League. It’s because sometimes in football things happen.”