Tottenham's managing director of football Fabio Paratici faces a major squad building project this summer but there are some players he might need to think twice about pushing out the door permanently.
Antonio Conte wants a Spurs squad that can challenge for silverware next season to build upon the club's fourth place finish and Champions League qualification this time around. It means a busy summer for Paratici as he juggles bringing new faces into N17 with deciding which players, who aren't key men, must head out of the door.
While some players will naturally come to the end of their time at Tottenham, for others there's a strong case to keep them and for a few there could be the opportunity to leave the club temporarily rather than permanently. Here are the four players that we believe need to remain Spurs players in some capacity.
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Joe Rodon
Like Steven Bergwijn and Harry Winks, Joe Rodon needs to leave Spurs this summer in order to get regular football next season, particularly ahead of the winter World Cup. However, unlike the first two players, it would make more sense financially and also for the long-term in sending the Welshman out on loan instead of selling him.
Rodon has three years left on the basic contract he signed when arriving from Swansea and that deal would likely have to be improved if he was to be sent out on loan. However, the benefit for Spurs would be not only the loan club picking up much of the defender's wages but a year playing regularly in the Premier League is likely to double the 24-year-old's value.
He could either return to challenge for a place in the Tottenham team or the club would be able to get a lot more for the Wales international next year rather than cashing in for a small fee this summer.
Davinson Sanchez
Another centre-back and with Davinson Sanchez much depends on just how big an offer Spurs receive for the Colombian. That's because across 32 appearances the 25-year-old had arguably had his best season in a Tottenham shirt since his debut campaign and he brought far more consistency to his game under Conte when he has stepped into the backline.
Conte wants new centre-back recruits this summer but whoever arrives must adapt to the Premier League quickly and Paratici may well struggle to find someone as ready to fit straight into the team as Sanchez as another option for Cristian Romero on the right-hand side of the back three.
It's also worth factoring into the equation that Sanchez has plenty of Champions League experience and many of his best performances for Spurs have come in that competition as the club returns to it next season. The other factor is Sanchez's contract, which has two years left to run, but it would still have to be a big bid for Tottenham to consider parting company with the Colombia international because replacing him is not as simple as it sounds, particularly when the role on offer is likely to be a back-up one.
Bryan Gil
The 21-year-old only joined Tottenham 11 months ago, regarded as one of the best young talent in Spain with Barcelona scout German Vaya Ballabriga publicly comparing him with Neymar and calling him the best footballer in the country.
Yet Bryan Gil did not start a single Premier League match for Spurs last season and after his loan exit to Valencia midway through the campaign Conte used him as an example of the club not properly scouting players before signing them for such a physical league. It wasn't the biggest vote of confidence in Gil for a long career ahead in the Premier League.
However, the dribbling and creative talent of the Spain international is undeniable and all that has to improve is the strength of a young player in order for him to handle the physical nature of the English game. With Conte still at the helm, it would make sense to loan him rather than sell him this summer or you risk regretting him becoming a star elsewhere.
As with Rodon, a big season for Gil back in Spain would only increase his value and help him prepare for a return to the Premier League and with Spurs' fortune with managers and Conte's own track record, it's not guaranteed that the Italian would outlast him at Tottenham anyway.
Matt Doherty
The oldest player on the list, 30-year-old Matt Doherty could potentially depart if the club were to receive a tempting bid for his services but whereas last summer few would have turned that down, this season it's a different matter.
Of the club's two right-sided defenders, Doherty has worked hard to prove that he can fit Conte's system and he's a natural wing-back to boot. For Emerson Royal, although he only joined last summer, the wing-back just does not suit him and however hard he works and defends, ultimately it's trying to put a square peg into a round hole.
With Doherty, once he returns from his knee injury this summer, it's a season in which he can build on his growing confidence in the position and he can also offer experience in the partnership with whichever newcomer joins him.
Spurs would like to sign 21-year-old Djed Spence from Middlesbrough and the older Doherty would provide a similar dynamic with the England U21 international to that of Ivan Perisic and Ryan Sessegnon on the other flank, with one older players helping to guide the youngster.
