Spurs’ striker shortage tops the biggest Deadline Day misses

The morning after the night before. It can be a moment of real clarity and realisation in any walk of life but, after a transfer deadline day that offered little in the way excitement, it provides more juicy pieces of gossip than the actual event.

According to the world’s media, the number of deals that were oh-so-close to happening, yet didn’t for any number of reasons are wide reaching.

Arsenal could have bought Edinson Cavani, but didn’t want to pay £50m. Spurs would have landed Victor Wanyama if only Southampton would have played ball and accepted a middle-of-the-road winger as his replacement.

Manchester United even made a late, and specific, bid of £26.4m for Bayer Leverkusen star Hakan Calhanoglu.

Of all the near-misses for the Premier League clubs on deadline day though, these three stand to be the most regrettable as the season pans out:

1) Saido Berahino not going to Tottenham

It says plenty about the deals that have been made when a transfer that never looked likely to go through – and a subsequent disgruntled tweet about it from the player – is the biggest news of the day.

In pursuing Saido Berahino, and only Berahino as their number one striking target this summer, Spurs have shot themselves in both feet by not landing him.

Now, Harry Kane has no obvious back up until January:

Tottenham’s strikers pose together. #COYS pic.twitter.com/wkpWqHvgO2

— James Maw (@JamesMawFFT) September 1, 2015

2) Norwich not buying a proven Premier League striker

Perhaps it was understandable that the Canaries resisted the urge to splash the cash on a front man, after being so badly burned by the Ricky van Wolfswinkel disaster, but there were some far safer options than the goal-shy Dutchman available.

Moves for Dwight Gayle and Steven Naismith failed to materialise for the Carrow Road club, while Glenn Murray and Nikica Jelavic both moved to relegation rivals. Norwich are 6/4 to go down this season.

3) The entire league not signing Charlie Austin

Of the 20 teams competing in the top flight this term, 15 of them could find a legitimate role for the QPR striker that scored 18 goals in the division last season.

The complete lack of interest in the Englishman was baffling on deadline day, especially as the likes of Arsenal, Spurs, Aston Villa and Norwich were crying out for reinforcements up front.

Austin staying will be a huge boost to QPR’s 4/1-rated promotion push.

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