Tottenham ready to let Andros Townsend, Mousa Dembele and Aaron Lennon depart amid doubts over ability

Mauricio Pochettino is ready to cull his squad in January after a disappointing start to the season, with Morgan Schneiderlin still seen as a possible replacement

Andros Townsend, Mousa Dembele and Aaron Lennon (GETTY IMAGES)

England duo Andros Townsend and Aaron Lennon are among those who could be sold by Tottenham in January with Mauricio Pochettino doubting whether his team is strong enough.

According to the Evening Standard Mousa Dembele, Kyle Naughton, Paulinho, Vlad Chiriches and Roberto Soldado are also under threat.

The concerns over his squad comes after a difficult start to the season which sees Tottenham languishing 12th in the Premier League table after their most recent defeat, their fourth at White Hart Lane this term, against Stoke City.

After signing a five-year contract last summer, Pochettino's job is safe according to the Evening Standard, however the former Southampton boss is under scrutiny.

The Argentinian is desperate for proper backing during the January transfer window after none of the players he coveted were secured before the start of the season.

His chief target, Morgan Schneiderlin, stayed at Southampton despite expressing a strong desire to move to north London. Pochettino also wanted Mateo Musacchio, the Villarreal centre-back, as well as Jay Rodriguez, the forward who Pochettino worked with at St Mary’s.

Morgan Schneiderlin remains of interest (Getty)

Spurs’ reluctance to take Rodriguez was understandable because the forward is still recuperating from a cruciate knee ligament injury sustained last April.

Pochettino is uncertain about the quality of players at his disposal and would be willing to ship out a number of them during the January transfer window to clear space in the squad for his own targets.

Mauricio Pochettino (Getty Images)

Frenchman Schneiderlin remains high on Pochettino’s list, although, with Southampton second in the league and Tottenham stuttering, the prospect of a move to White Hart Lane is no longer as attractive as it once seemed.

Pochettino still admires Rodriguez but the England international has yet to prove his fitness having not yet made a first-team appearance this term.

Pochettino’s training methods have caused some uncertainty within the squad and he is keen to have more players who understand his way of working.

Whether his wish will be granted remains to be seen. The last time Spurs chairman Daniel Levy sanctioned a mid-season spending spree was in 2009, after Harry Redknapp had been hired to replace Juande Ramos following Spurs’ disastrous start to the campaign.