Baldini learning no lessons as Spurs eye Serie A midfielder

So unsuccessful was the Gareth Bale-funded summer recruitment drive, that many of Tottenham’s new recruit’s could be lucky to last beyond this term.

Eric Lamela’s deflating, injury-disrupted first season at White Hart Lane has made Spurs’ Technical Director, Franco Baldini, a figure of derision in the white half of north London.

Not only has spunking a club-record fee on his former Roma prodigy been a complete bust, but the Italian also saturated the central midfield at Tottenham.

The arrivals of Etienne Capoue and Paulinho swelled the numbers in that position to seven, with Tom Carroll and Lewis Holtby eventually having to be shipped out on loan to make things more manageable.

Being spoilt for choice isn’t always a good thing, as has been proved by Spurs’ often insipid displays in the Premier League under both Andre Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood. As a result of those failings, the club are now 18/1 shots to finish in the top four.

All that hasn’t stopped Baldini returning to Italy on a scouting mission to recruit yet another centre circle inhabitant though, with Lazio’s young box-to-box man, Ogenyi Onazi, rumoured to be wanted by the former England assistant manager.

At 21-years-old, the Nigerian is highly rated at the Serie A club, yet they are still willing to listen to offers of around £8m, with Liverpool also keen on a deal.

However, with Paulinho and Mousa Dembele providing the same work-horse traits as the young Biancocelesti star, it seems baffling that a signing in that department would even be considered.

With Spurs seemingly oblivious to their need for reinforcements at full-back, with the left flank especially exposed, pursuing yet another middle man should be the last thing on Baldini’s shopping list.

His keenness to throw endless midfielders into the mix only proves that the staffing strategy at Spurs is broken.

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