This season has been pretty much business as usual for Spurs.

Early hopes of a top four finish have been crushed as we approach the final month six weeks of the season. The fans will blame that all on the Europa League, but neutrals will surely have other explanations.

Anyway, Spurs are slowly getting there. They're flirting with the top four, and have been for so long, but they can't seem to finish the job.

But the only way they're going to do that is by investing well in the transfer market and getting rid of all that dead wood they've got hanging around White Hart Lane these days.

Ahead of the summer, Mauricio Pochettino's men have been linked with 23 players. Some of those rumours have legs, others are just made up snippets of rubbish that help keep fans excited on slow news days.

But it's still worth asking the fans who they really want playing at White Hart Lane next season, which is exactly what we did earlier this week.

A huge 379 voted thumbs up or thumbs down on the players they do or don't want at their club at the beginning of next season. And here's how they voted...

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5. Benedikt Höwedes

Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes

Tottenham's defence does need a bit of work to it, and with World Cup winner Benedikt Höwedes catching the eye of some of Europe's top clubs with his performances for both Germany and Schalke, it's no surprise MirrorFootball had Spurs as leaders for his signature.

Will Jan Vertonghen still be at the club beyond the summer? Youness Kaboul definitely won't be, while Eric Dier is still a bit green around the edges.

So could Benedikt Höwedes be on his way to White Hart Lane in the summer?

Well in short. No. The £13million-rated is not leaving Schalke, according to the club's executive chairman Clemens Toennies.

But Höwedes does have a release clause in his contract, which means Spurs' fans dreams of having a world cup winner in their squad next season aren't over just yet.

203 fans voted a thumbs up for the defender, while 53 Spurs fans aren't too keen.

4. Danny Ings

Danny Ings

Even if Burnley manage to avoid relegation this season, Danny Ings is almost certain to leave the club on a free transfer in a bid to test his skills at a club battling in the top half of the table.

He's netted nine goals in 29 league outings for The Clarets this term and MailOnline reckon Spurs are looking to offer him a contract in the summer.

With just Harry Kane netting the goals up front for Spurs this season, Pochettino will be in the market for an out and out goal scorer, and Ings certainly fits the bill, especially for absolutely nothing.

A total of 220 fans gave Ings a thumbs up, and 57 Spurs fans appear to swinging towards actually paying money on a proven goalscorer. Wonder whether they remember the last time their club did that. *cough Soldado *cough*

3. Juan Mata

Juan Mata

We've got nothing against Tottenham, but this has to be one of the most ridiculous rumours in the history of transfer rumours.

Juan Mata to Tottenham? Nah.

The Spaniard has been absolutely superb for Man United in recent months and you can't imagine Louis Van Gaal flogging him off to a side with potential to challenge them for a top four finish next season.

Still, Metro believe Spurs have offered £18million for the midfielder and Pochettino is confident of getting himself a bargain. Though he might just be the only one on the world who is.

To some extent, it's quite surprising that he isn't Spurs' fans first choice summer signing. 254 of them gave him a thumbs up, and only 50 stuck their noses up at him.

2. Kevin Wimmer

The Koln defender is on the verge of making his "dream' move to White Hart Lane this summer, in what is Spurs' only concrete bit of business so far.

And the fans appear to be pretty keen on seeing him next season, 240 fans voting him up and just 35 saying no to the German star.

A fee is still be agreed between the two sides, but he's already spoken of his delight at the move...

"The English Premier League is the only one that can match that. For me, the English league would be a great challenge," he said.

"There I can develop, because it’s very demanding. I’m a fan of English football. It would be a dream to move to a top club like Tottenham."

So there you have it. Spurs fans' second choice man is pretty much in the bag already.

1. Toby Alderweireld

Southampton v Newcastle United - Barclays Premier League

The Belgium international has impressed on loan at Southampton this season, which has sparked a lot of interest in him as parent club Atletico Madrid consider selling him this summer.

You'd expect Southampton to have first refusal on the £10million centre-half, but Tottenham are also sniffing around.

The Telegraph reckon Maurico Pochettino has turned to Alderweireld after missing out on West Ham defender Winston Reid. And the fans are warming the idea of signing him, with 293 fans giving him a big thumbs up and a measly 22 voting him down.

With three of the fans' five preferred signings being defenders, it's pretty clear what they're expecting from Pochettino this summer.

So if you're reading, Poch, get yourself out there and buy some defenders!