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Franco Baldini's future as Tottenham's technical director is under increasing scrutiny after the club failed to land a front-line striker during the transfer window.

Spurs were confident of signing Danny Welbeck on deadline-day morning, only for Arsenal to hijack the move and complete a £16million permanent deal with Manchester United for the England forward.

And while Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is seen as an ally of Baldini - with the Italian having favoured the Argentinian to take over from Tim Sherwood - the head coach is believed to be less than happy with the club's summer business.

Pochettino was said to be concerned that Baldini was lining up moves for Nacer Chadli, Aaron Lennon and Andros Townsend over the last few weeks, when the Argentine wanted all three to remain part of his first-team squad, while Baldini and the Spurs board wanted to off-load at least one of them.

Lennon turned down moves to Sunderland, QPR and Stoke and insisted he wanted to stay at White Hart Lane to fight for his place, while his fellow England wideman Townsend was unable to complete a proposed move to Southampton.

It is expected that either Townsend or Lennon will leave the club in January, with Chadli and a revitalised Erik Lamela currently Pochettino's first-choice widemen.

(Image: Paul Gilham)

Pochettino took the job on the basis that Spurs would not be spending vast amounts in the summer, following last year's £110million spree in the wake of Gareth Bale departure to Real Madrid.

But the new boss always insisted that he wanted to sign a first-choice striker - with moves for Loic Remy, Wilfried Bony and Welbeck all failing.

When the Welbeck deal fell through on Monday afternoon, as Arsenal made a late intervention, there was no Plan B for Spurs to move for.

ANALYSIS: Tottenham's transfer window reviewed

That leaves Pochettino needing to get the best out of Emmanuel Adebayor or Roberto Soldado - although he is not convinced that either striker is the man to lead Tottenham's attack.

England Under-21 striker Harry Kane is Pochettino's only other centre-forward

option.

Spurs did add five players to their first-team squad in the summer window, but left-back Ben Davies was the most expensive at £10m.

The White Hart Lane club also failed to prise midfield schemer Morgan Schneiderlin from Pochettino's former club Southampton, instead making a late move to nab Benjamin Stambouli from Montpellier.

READ MORE: The winners and losers of transfer deadline day

In pictures: This summer's Premier League ins and outs