As soon as Mauricio Pochettino issued an apparent ultimatum to chairman Daniel Levy at the end of last season there was always a sense that this would be a defining summer for Tottenham.
Pochettino went off script after delivering a third successive top-three finish and told Levy to “be brave and take risks” in order for Spurs to take the next step and challenge for trophies both in England and Europe.
Levy appeared to listen and quickly tied the Argentinian down to a new five-year deal, rebuffing interest from Real Madrid, and followed it up with a bumper salary cap-breaking new contract for Harry Kane, with Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen also expected to sign on soon.
But as the summer went on, it was events 1,500 miles away at the World Cup in Russia that could yet have the biggest impact on how Spurs fare this season.
As a marker to the quality of the squad that Pochettino has assembled in north London, there were nine Spurs players involved in the entirety of the World Cup, with five England players, three Belgians and Hugh Lloris of France in Russia until the end.
And what sort of effect that will have is an intriguing prospect.
Initially, it will throw Pochettino’s pre-season plans into disarray as the nine players are unlikely to return to the club much before their last friendly with Girona on August 4 and how refreshed they will be when the new season kicks off a week later remains to be seen.
But the possible benefits of a successful summer for those players are a more appealing prospect, particularly for the five England players that caught the imagination of the country.
Kane, Kieran Trippier, Alli, Eric Dier and Danny Rose returned from Russia heroes and that experience of a successful tournament could help them kick on domestically.
#FridayFeeling #COYS #BuiltToRise pic.twitter.com/MEJ4AbqBva
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) July 20, 2018
Not that Kane has much improving to do, having hit 25, 29 and 30 goals in his last three Premier League seasons and he will again be the favourite for the Golden Boot.
In terms of those risks Pochettino asked Levy to take, they have yet to materialise in the transfer market at least.
With the window shutting 48 hours before the campaign starts, Spurs, as has become tradition, look set to have to do their business late on.
They will need some additional firepower to supplement Kane, another centre-back, if, as expected, Toby Alderweireld leaves, while Rose and midfielder Mousa Dembele have also been told they can move on, so replacements might need to be found for them.
Another factor for Spurs to contend with is their move into their new stadium, which will happen in September after a one-off Wembley return and a run of away games.
How they adapt to their new surroundings, and whether they can avoid a bumpy settling in period, will be one of the key factors in how their season pans out.
