Members of the Tottenham Hotspur squad were allegedly surprised when competition for Harry Kane was not signed during the summer transfer window.
At a time when Kane was showing an interest in leaving North London, Spurs were linked with a wide array of potential replacements.
However, head coach Nuno Espirito Santo and sporting director Fabio Paratici instead prioritised other areas of the pitch, rather than replacing Benfica loanee Carlos Vinicius.
According to The Athletic, it was a decision which left multiple members of the first-team group 'baffled' as Kane struggled for form during the opening weeks of the season.
Kane has still only netted once in nine Premier League outings this season, a return which ultimately played a significant part of why Nuno departed the club on Monday.
Antonio Conte, who is on the brink of being named as the Portuguese's replacement, will likely address the lack of backup during the January transfer window.