Jose Mourinho expects to oversee a long-term rebuild with Tottenham because his big-spending days are over.

Mourinho took charge at Tottenham in November aware he won't have the spending power he had during his spells with Chelsea, Real Madrid and Manchester United.

Tottenham have been cautious in the transfer market since the development of their expensively rebuilt stadium.

That has left Mourinho to inherit a squad lacking depth and even though Harry Kane and Moussa Sissoko have been ruled out until April, the Tottenham manager says they are not going to be "kings of the transfer market".

On the difference between his relatively frugal Tottenham situation compared to the riches he enjoyed at Roman Abramovich's Chelsea, Mourinho said: "Come on! But that was quite simple in the sense of, 'Which one is a central defender that I want? That one, thank you very much'.

"But again we are a different club, we have to do it in a different way.

"Balanced transfer windows, you need more time and this is the profile so for me it's about time and time to work, so more transfer windows because we are not going ever to be the transfer window king."

While Mourinho doesn't expect to spend big, that doesn't make the challenge of keeping Tottenham in the top four and winning major trophies any less exciting.

"Of course, it's a different challenge. I think you should look to it also in a different way," he said.

"For me, it's very enjoyable. Again, I came to the club so happy to come.

"One of the reasons I was so happy to come was because everything was crystal clear.

"Nothing was promised to me that in this moment, I say, 'Oh, it was not truth, I am very disappointed, we didn't know'.

"Everything was honest and clear and I'm giving to the club what I promised so I don't also mislead, and the only thing that I promised is what I'm giving."

Krzysztof Piatek is one player who could reportedly fit the bill to replace Kane, but Mourinho did not want to get drawn on the potential for a bid for the AC Milan forward.

"Imagine if I speak about Piatek, is he happy that I speak about him?" Mourinho said.

"Is AC Milan happy that I speak about him? I don't speak about players from other clubs, I'm sorry."