Poch’s five-year plan?

Tottenham may have fallen short in the Premier League title race but their outstanding season has provided plenty of reasons for optimism.

Mauricio Pochettino has committed his future to the club by agreeing a new long-term contract, but what must he do to keep them challenging for major honours over the next five years?

Here, we look at some of the areas for the Argentine to address…

Bring through the next youngsters

Tottenham’s title challenge was all the more impressive considering their squad is the youngest in the Premier League. Pochettino’s hungry, dynamic group does not feature a single outfield player over the age of 30, and in Dele Alli and Harry Kane they possess two of the brightest young stars in Europe.

Pochettino places huge emphasis on youth development, and he will be expected to continue in the same vein in the years ahead. Indeed, the Spurs boss has given chances to teenager Josh Onomah and 20-year-old Harry Winks this season, and there are high hopes for Alex Pritchard and Nathan Oduwa, among others.

Tottenham’s high-intensity playing style demands peak physical fitness and youthful determination, so Pochettino needs to establish a consistent production line for the future.

Strengthen the squad

At the same time as continuing his youth policy, Pochettino will need to supplement his squad with more experienced reinforcements in order to maintain their place among the elite.

Pochettino hopes his new contract will help the process. “I think it is important for the players, and the potential players that will come, that they don’t hear rumours about whether I will be here or not,” he said. “We are ready to compete in the market and try to add the players that can help us in the future.”

One of the most obvious areas in need of strengthening is …

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