Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino insisted Spurs cannot compete with Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City in the transfer market.
It has been a quiet window for Tottenham so far, yet to sign a player, though they sold Kyle Walker for a reported £50million.
Amid concerns among Tottenham supporters, Pochettino said it is difficult to find players good enough to challenge the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli as Spurs attempt to improve on last season's runner-up finish to Chelsea.
"Our fans know that we are not a club today that can compete with Manchester United and Man City for a player. We cannot fight them," said Pochettino.
"We work in a different way. This type of player we are talking about, it's not easy to find them.
"For me, it's better to play with younger players who come through the academy so you can improve them and after that their motivation is always higher.
"We need quality, and players with the facility to fight with our number one and to try to help them push their level. That is the key. If we're capable of doing this, like we did with Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker, I'm sure we will have success.
"We are finding the balance but it's difficult, because it's true that now is the moment to maybe refresh the team with some new faces – and I'm sure that will happen."
