England midfielder keen to be even better next season and hopeful Spurs can start 2017/18 Premier League campaign strongly

Dele Alli says there is no need for an expensive recruitment drive this summer as long as Tottenham’s current squad stays together.

Spurs have just achieved their highest ever Premier League finish for the second year in a row, having banked third place in 2016 and now secured second.

One more step remains if they are to win the title and Mauricio Pochettino is intent on improving the group – but Alli does not feel major investment will be needed.

“With the players we’ve got here, we don’t need to go out and spend loads of money,” he said. “It’s a good bunch of boys. Everyone’s determined and working hard and there’s a lot of quality in this team - I think you can see that with the amount of goals we’ve been scoring.

“It’s important that we stick together as a team and keep working hard and keep improving together as a team.

“We’ve just got to take our form into next season and start even stronger, and then if we can finish the way we have this season then we should be okay.

“It’s a great place to be and everyone’s determined to work for this manager and for the team, so it’s good.”

Alli’s apparent commitment to the cause is good news, as the 21-year-old has been a key figure in Tottenham’s rise.

After producing 10 goals and 12 assists for Spurs in 2015/16, he has netted 22 times and set up a further nine this campaign.

That improvement has come despite Alli’s slow start to the season – he only managed three goals before December.

“I don’t want to give anything away but I’ve had to think a lot more about my movement,” he said. “Maybe last year the other teams weren’t used to me running in behind and weren’t expecting it, whereas this season they’ve got a little bit more used to it.

“I’ve had to time things like that a little bit better and, moving off defenders, I’ve got to be a little bit sharper with that and try to judge the ball a little bit better.

“I think at the start of the season I struggled a little bit in the first few games, because maybe I didn’t expect [opposition] players to be that used to me, so I had to change my game a bit. I started getting a little bit higher and getting a few more goals.

“It’s been a positive season for me but I’ve just got to make sure I keep working hard, and I’ve still got to work on things and make sure next season’s even better.

“The aim is definitely to be more clinical again. I want to help the team out as much as I can, and if I can get as many goals and assists as possible, that’s what I want to be doing. I’ve got to try to up my numbers again.”

Alli was part of an historic achievement for Tottenham this season, as three players – Harry Kane and Heung-min Son were the others - scored at least 20 goals in all competitions for the first time.

“It’s important to have more than just one player that’s scoring goals,” said Alli. “I think we’ve been scoring goals from all across the field this season, and hopefully [that will continue] next season as well.

“There are defenders chipping in with goals, and midfielders as well. It’s important if you want to be up there challenging that there’s more than just one or two.

“We all look to help each other out. We’re all working for the team and if one person’s having an off game then there’s more players in the team, or even on the bench, who can make a difference.”

Spurs will be without Alli in their opening three Champions League matches next term – he is suspended due to his red card against Gent – but the youngster hopes the club can make a bigger impact in the competition, having bowed out in the group stage this campaign.

“It was a disappointing season for us in the Champions League this year but it’s a great chance to learn,” said Alli.

“For a lot of us, it was our first time playing in the Champions League. We need to make sure next season we start the Champions League strongly and get as many points as we can.”