Tottenham Hotspur starting the transfer window as the Premier League’s most liberal and audacious spenders feels like a long time ago.Spurs have not done any business since closing the club-record £100million ($135m) deal to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United on July 6. Manchester City’s Savinho remains at the top of their list of prospective attacking reinforcements.Spurs are working on a deal for another forward in the background, with Cody Gakpo among their targets, but the lack of movement at Hotspur Way is beginning to make fans feel a little antsy heading into the opening game of the season against Brentford on August 22.While sporting director Johan Lange, chief executive Vinai Venkatesham and director of football operations Rafi Moersen continue to wait for priority targets to become available, Roberto De Zerbi has to maximise a group of forwards who underwhelmed last term.Mohammed Kudus’ return to training after suffering a left hamstring injury that has sidelined him since early January is a tremendous positive. But with Xavi Simons and Wilson Odobert still many months away as they recover from ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injuries, Tottenham are currently weaker in attack than they were on September 1 last year.Randal Kolo Muani was Tottenham’s final signing of last season’s summer window, and while few Spurs fans were calling for his return to north London, he is now a Juventus player. Brennan Johnson, newly of Everton, scored in both of Tottenham’s opening two Premier League fixtures last term, but has since moved twice, following his £35m transfer to Crystal Palace in January.Without any attacking additions and injuries to Simons and Odobert, and with no public timeline for Dejan Kulusevski’s return — though the club are keen to preach patience having not played for over 400 days — options are slim in attack.Savinho is top of Tottenham’s list of prospective attacking reinforcements (Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)Despite Spurs prioritising the left wing, Mathys Tel appears the most nailed-on forward to start against Brentford, provided there are no additions between now and then. It marks the first time Tel has entered a new season as the first-choice player in any position, having started behind Johnson at the start of last term and various players at his previous club Bayern Munich.Though just 21, Tel is highly motivated to start at the top level, but he has lacked consistency at Tottenham. He can infuriate and mesmerise in equal measure, perhaps best encapsulated by his performance against Leeds United in the final weeks of last term.He scored the brilliant opening goal either side of an ill-advised pass across his box, which Kevin Danso headed clear, and an attempted overhead kick clearance which was anticipated by Ethan Ampadu and resulted in Leeds’ equaliser from the penalty spot.He impressed on Tottenham’s pre-season tour of Sydney and Auckland, scoring an excellent free kick in their 1-1 draw (4-2 win on penalties) against Sydney FC in their penultimate game, showing signs that his game continues to develop under the Italian.His shoot-first mindset adds a useful dimension to Tottenham’s attack, particularly when lining up alongside Dominic Solanke, a natural facilitator, and Kudus, who was Tottenham’s primary creative outlet in the frontline before his injury.However, with James Maddison recovering from a minor injury of his own after a long rehabilitation process from his ACL rupture on tour in South Korea last summer, Conor Gallagher appears primed to open the season in the No 10 slot, and his box-crashing style may result in a lack of creativity in the final third.Would Arsenal really sign Cristian Romero from Spurs? Jay Harris, Adam Leventhal and moreThis issue will be exacerbated if Kudus is not fit to start the season. De Zerbi predicted he would be fit to join the group upon the resumption of their pre-season training at Hotspur Way, but after missing half a season after surgery, the club are being particularly careful with his return (as they have been for many players in pre-season).Without Odobert, who was Kudus’ natural replacement on the right, or Kolo Muani, who filled in at that position for De Zerbi last term, there is no clear candidate to start at right wing should the Ghanaian not return in time for Brentford.Manor Solomon was De Zerbi’s choice on the right of the forward three on tour, playing the second-most minutes of any Spurs player behind only Archie Gray, but he has since moved to West Ham United.Mikey Moore is still at the club despite serious interest from Koln on a season-long loan, but if he departs before the opening day and no reinforcements arrive, De Zerbi may be forced into selecting Richarlison, Gallagher, Lucas Bergvall, or even Djed Spence to deputise as a right winger, none of whom are accomplished or particularly suited.There are question marks over the central striker, too. Solanke is expected to be first choice, but was absent from the squad for the weekend’s 1-1 draw with Getafe after seeing his minutes managed in Auckland and Sydney.De Zerbi and performance director Dan Lewindon are monitoring players ahead of the new season to try to avoid another injury crisis. Their plan may be to ensure there is no undue strain on Solanke’s body before the season starts after two injury-hit campaigns in north London.His patchy injury record and absence at the weekend may open the door for Richarlison to start the season, as he did last term.Richarlison started last season (Saeed Khan/AFP via Getty Images)The Brazilian got off to a flyer last season with a brace in the 3-0 win over Burnley and finished as Tottenham’s top scorer, but there are doubts over his future and his fit under De Zerbi.The Italian stressed his desire to keep Richarlison should he want to stay, describing him as an “important player” but admitted: “sometimes he (wants to) leave”. The 29-year-old is probably Spurs’ most threatening player in the box, but is not as accomplished as Solanke in link-up play, a concern given De Zerbi places so much emphasis on contribution to build-up and playmaking.He lined up as the central striker for Spurs’ draw with Getafe (with Tel and Moore either side of him), perhaps giving an inkling of the three De Zerbi may lead with in the season opener.That said, this attack does not line up with Tottenham’s ambitions to fight for a European spot again this term. While Tottenham have made ample progress in developing their build-up in the first and second phases over pre-season, and look far more comfortable and assured in possession than they did at any point last season, their lack of firepower in attack continues to hold them back.It is an alarming issue for a squad that has come together nicely elsewhere over the summer window.Patience may prove the all-important virtue that sees De Zerbi land Savinho and Gakpo, after which Spurs’ attack will be far more convincing. But as the start of the season draws nearer, many fans are beginning to lose patience with a strategy that may lead to a panicked, Supermarket Sweep-style rush for attacking reinforcements, a tactic they were accustomed to and grew to resent under former executive chairman Daniel Levy.