Pochettino: Tottenham can compete for Champions League places

Tottenham’s hopes rest on striker Harry Kane but manager Mauricio Pochettino believes the Londoners can still qualify for the UEFA Champions League.

Pochettino is short of striking options, with Kane to lead the line for Tottenham this Premier League season after scoring 21 goals last term as Villarreal-bound Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor head for the exit door.

Lyon striker Clinton N’Jie is set to complete his move to White Hart Lane but while Tottenham lack a spread of goalscorers, Pochettino is confident about his side’s chances.

“Sometimes you have five strikers, like Liverpool last season, and they were sixth,” said the Argentinean.

“Harry Kane scored 31 goals [in all competitions], Adebayor two. Soldado five. You never know in football.”

Only two other Tottenham players reached double-figure goals in the Premier League last season – Nacer Chadli (11) and Christian Eriksen (10) – and both are not strikers.

Full-back Danny Rose netted three goals, while Andros Townsend, Erik Lamela, Eric Dier and Adebayor scored two apiece in the league.

“We have different players that can play like a striker and we have different offensive players that can play in different options,” Pochettino added.

“But I think we don’t need too much players to bring in.”