Over a week into the transfer window and teams are beginning to show their intentions. While Liverpool and Manchester United are making huge offers early on, Spurs have signed ageing Brad Friedel on a free transfer.
What United and the Reds have moved quickly to indicate is not just their willingness to spend but their desire to plan for the future.
Spurs, on the other hand have delved into the bargain bucket for a transient solution to the goalkeeping conundrum, adding yet another name to a squad bursting at the seams in the process.
In case you didn't know, Liverpool have agreed terms with Jordan Henderson over a £16-20million switch from Sunderland, whereas Blackburn's young defender Phil Jones is close to securing a high-profile £17m switch to Manchester United, along with Aston Villa's Ashley Young.
Interpretation of our Friedel freebie depends on who pushed for the transfer; board or manager. If Harry Redknapp was the instigator, then it signals he's looking for short-term gain; maybe he's seriously eyeing the England job so isn't looking past next season, or maybe he just wants a wise, experienced head to bring some much-needed organisation to our back four.
The worry, and it is a big worry, is if it was the board's choice. Arsenal may only have shelled out £1million on their first signing Carl Jenkinson this week, but the Finland Under-21 star's capture does signify that Arsenal still have one eye on building for the future.
Our mid-noughties tactic of signing young british talent seems to have fallen by the wayside. Maybe it is seen in part to have backfired; Jermaine Jenas is unable to hold down a first team place, Tom Huddlestone is failing to fill the boots of his own huge potential and the £18m capture of David Bentley can only be seen as a tremendous waste of resources.
Potential ability costs a lot of money at the moment and clubs are only too happy to hold out for £20m-plus for largely unproven players. You can't blame chairman Levy for waiting to find a proven talent before he signs the big cheques but he has to back the manager and, with Redknapp seeing fit to repeat in public that he wants "Daniel to go out and get three fantastic players", there are signs that the support is not forthcoming.
If murmurs in the press are to be believed then Levy's enthusiasm over the Redknapp reign may be at a low ebb but this is a crucial time for Tottenham and the chairman cannot afford to let his interest wain. The fans can accept we need to sell before we buy but so far Redknapp has claimed that Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch are not for sale, and that even Robbie Keane could force his way back into the team.
Levy needs to get a move on and kickstart our summer, as the rumoured streamlining of the playing staff seems like a distant memory. If Jamie O'Hara heads to Wolves and Robbie Keane joins Martin Jol at Fulham we are still above the 25-man Premier League quota even before adding to the squad.
The Friedel transfer is done and, who knows, maybe it'll take the pressure off Heurelho Gomes giving him a chance to get his confidence back. Friedel could even teach the Brazilian how to catch a ball with two hands. But from now on, players need to go, full stop. The board can't be messing around waiting for as much money as possible, we need gaps on the team sheet and space in the payroll. Cue the exodus...
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