New Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has been told that he will not be able to splash the cash in the January transfer window, according to reports.
Mourinho was handed the reins in north London on Wednesday, following the dismissal of Mauricio Pochettino the previous day.
The former Chelsea and Manchester United boss has signed a three-and-a-half-year deal with his third Premier League club.
Mourinho took his first training session within hours of the announcement as he prepares for Saturday's trip to the London Stadium to face West Ham.
Tottenham are languishing down in 14th place in the Premier League table after winning only three of their first 12 games this season.
The Portuguese will be tasked with leading his new side up the standings, but the Guardian report that he will not have money to spend when the transfer window reopens in January.
Spurs brought in Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso for a combined cost of more than £100m before the start of the campaign.
And their summer outlay, combined with the move to a new stadium, means Mourinho will not be able to strengthen his squad at the start of 2020.
The 56-year-old, who won three Premier League titles across two spells in charge of Chelsea, was made aware of the absence of funds during negotiations with Daniel Levy.
Mourinho consequently made a point of talking up the players at his disposal in his first interview as Spurs boss, as well as praising the club's academy.
The objective for Tottenham this term is to secure a fifth consecutive top-four finish, with revenue from the Champions League considered vital to their business model.
The north Londoners have plenty of work to do in that regard, having fallen 11 points behind fourth-placed Manchester City ahead of this weekend's clash with rivals West Ham.
READ MORE
Long read: The making of Jose Mourinho – how did he go from 'the translator' to 'the Special One’?
Mauricio Pochettino’s Tottenham really did prove that trophies are not the only measure of success
‘I don’t think Liverpool would look at Ollie Watkins, a striker isn’t a pressing issue for them – it’s Arsenal who need one’ Former Reds star explains why his old club don’t need an out-and-out forward this summer
‘He’ll still be playing at 40 at a good level because he’s in such good shape and looks after himself so well. He does everything to be a top professional’: Ex-Liverpool coach insists Mohamed Salah has plenty more miles in the tank
