Tottenham: Daniel Levy – Don’t Repeat Mistake Of 2012
By Logan Holmes
I trust that Daniel Levy won’t repeat the mistake of the 2012 summer transfer window. Tottenham have another new manager and Mauricio Pochettino has ideas of which players he wants to bring in to Spurs.
This summer’s transfer window has seen Tottenham linked with many players but the players who Pochettino seems to want as the core of his team have still failed to arrive at White Hart Lane. Daniel Levy has always kept a very tight rein on expenditure and all transfer business. This summer while Tottenham wait, uncertain about whether deals will be concluded before the end of the transfer period, other clubs have completed numerous deals and included the new players in their team for the opening game of the season.
This summer has a sense of we’ve been here before and could very easily turn out like the summer of 2012.
August, 2012
In July 2012, Daniel Levy appointed Andre Villas-Boas to replace Harry Redknapp. At the start of the season, Tottenham were still concluding their transfer business. Three matches were played and having taken only two points there was early pressure on AVB. As the transfer window drew to a close, it was clear from media reports that the new Spurs manager had his eye on one particular player. A player he knew well as he had starred in the successful Porto team which lifted the Portuguese title and UEFA Cup in 2011.
Andre Villas-Boas wanted to sign Joao Moutinho to provide the creativity for his Tottenham team. Negotiations were on-going and we were led to believe that a late deal was about to be concluded. Time passed and although Porto didn’t want to sell Moutinho, even on the final day there was a chance of completing the deal. Delays and last minute hitches meant that it didn’t happen as The Telegraph reported under the headline:
Tottenham Hotspur missed out on Porto’s Joao Moutinho by minutes
Daniel Levy failed to secure the one player that AVB wanted and as the season wore on it became clear why Tottenham needed a creative player like Moutinho. Spurs struggled to break down well-organised defences and it was only Gareth Bale’s exceptional form and goals in the second half of the season which put Spurs so close to Champions League qualification.
August, 2014
Move on two years and here we are with less than two weeks to go to the end of all transfer activity. Another new manager has been appointed and it is clear that Mauricio Pochettino has desires on a particular player. Morgan Schneiderlin is a player he got to know at Southampton and is wanted by the Head Coach to control the central midfield in his Tottenham team. Spurs have been working for the past month to complete this deal but the Saints have remained stedfast in their refusal to agree to sell the French international.
Mr Levy needs to ensure that this deal is concluded before the end of the transfer window. The Chairman must give his manager his full backing and that includes signing the players Pochettino feels that he needs to develop his team and impose his style on play on Tottenham.
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A second signing that Pochettino appears to want completed is that of Mateo Musacchio. A central defender is a high priority for the Tottenham squad as was evident in the win at West Ham on Saturday.
The negotiations have floundered over issues not connected with Tottenham but there is still the need for Daniel Levy to ensure that he is doing everything possible to bring the deal to a successful conclusion.
Villarreal, like Porto in 2012, are content to allow the issues to drag on as they don’t want to lose Musacchio so it is imperative that Spurs make sure they are doing everything to get the outstanding issues resolved.
In 2012 Daniel Levy and Tottenham made the mistake of not completing the signing of Moutinho – don’t let the same thing happen this summer. You know the players that Mauricio Pochettino wants you to sign. Get on and do It.