Recent near misses in the race for Champions League qualification may see Tottenham make a few big moves in the transfer market in order to try and get there this coming season.

Already, they have splashed out £17m on Brazilian holding midfielder Paulinho, who joins from Corinthians.

Tottenham are in dire need of reinforcements in other areas of the pitch, particularly up front. While the arrival of a star of the Confederations Cup will be welcomed with open arms, especially in light of Real Madrid’s purported late interest, whether or not spending such a big sum on a player yet to ply his trade at the highest level is open to question, especially while rumours about a transfer involving Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke have surfaced.

Striker light
Spurs were a little short up front last season, and overreliance on Gareth Bale to deliver the goods proved to be something of a weakness. While Jermain Defoe had a decent season, the frustrating Emmanuel Adebayor and limited Clint Dempsey showed that they needed a lot more by way of attacking threat to try and pip rivals Arsenal to the top-four post.

The rumours about Benteke are encouraging, but it’s likely that he will cost in the region of £25m to prise away from Villa Park. Also, there’s no guarantee that he would actually want to join, especially if someone like Chelsea came in for him. Whether or not it’s him, as long as Tottenham sign at least one new striker, it will seem like progress has been made this summer.

The Bale question
How much manager Andre Villas-Boas will actually get to spend on more new signings will depend largely on where Gareth Bale will end up once the summer transfer window is slammed shut. He’s 1/4 to stay at White Hart Lane with Ladbrokes, although he’s not certain to remain with the club to which he has become indispensable.

If he does go, Bale’s departure could bring something in the region of £80m into the club, leaving AVB with plenty of money to spend on a replacement. For the time being though, it looks like Bale is staying put and will have already met Paulinho and learned about the Brazilian’s game.