For the Tottenham Hotspur faithful, Daniel Levy has a bit of a mixed reputation, since becoming chairman on February 2001.
Alright, that might even be too generous. Levy’s itchy trigger finger when it comes to managers, plus his penchant for a hard-won transfer deal, have at times alienated the Tottenham fanbase. He can occasionally look out of the touch with the modern game, a classic example of everything that is wrong with the back offices in football.
Most of which is unfair. Yes, Levy has some high standards and he’s difficult to negotiate with, but can anyone really say that they’re unhappy with the results? Tottenham have finished in fifth place or better in the Premier League since 2010 thanks in no small part to the managers and players Levy has had a huge hand in picking. There is simply no denying that the last five years of Levy’s reign have been a boon for the club as a whole.
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Today we’re going to look at some of the most palpable ways Levy has influenced the club: transfers. This isn’t simply going to be a list of the best transfers, either. No, to get a full impression of Levy’s legacy, we’re going to break it down in five different categories that showcase which were Daniel Levy’s best and worst transfers since taking over as Tottenham’s chairman in February 2001. Here’s the list in order:
- Top Five Best Transfers
- Top Five Worst Transfers
- Top Five Best Bargains
- Top Five Most Expensive Transfers
- Top Five Best Youth Players Signed
There naturally might be some overlap and no small amount of controversy, but in seeing Levy’s efforts qualified and quantified like this we might begin to understand just how much Tottenham fans owe their often maligned chairman.
We begin with the five best transfers.
Next: Best Transfer: #5
#5 Best Transfer: Michael Dawson, Center-back
Transfer fee: £4 million
Former club: Nottingham Forest (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: January 1, 2005 — August 26, 2014
Stats: 324 appearances, 10 goals, 6 assists (all competitions)
Though he was rather unceremoniously sold to Hull City in 2014, Michael Dawson was a stalwart in Tottenham’s defense for the better part of a decade and helped ease the club through the transition away from Ledley King. He might not have been the fastest centre-back out there, but what he lacked in pace he made up for in leadership ability. Even André Villas-Boas and his insanely high lines came to find the relatively sluggish Dawson an indispensable part of the backline.
In the end, Dawson probably deserved more than he got. Service such as his is a rare thing in football these days, but unfortunately there are always limits. He wanted playing time, and as he entered his 30s it became increasingly unlikely he’d get that in a young Tottenham squad.
Next: Best Transfer: #4
#4 Best Transfer: Christian Eriksen, Attacking midfielder
Transfer fee: £11 million
Former club: Ajax (Eredivisie)
Years with Spurs: August 30, 2013 — Present
Stats: 103 appearances, 25 goals, 25 assists (in all competitions, thus far)
Plenty of clubs were rumored to be interested in the services of Christian Eriksen before Tottenham bagged him as part of the post-Gareth Bale shopping spree. He had been lighting it up for Ajax and Denmark for a couple of seasons prior, though there were still doubts if the 21-year-old could handle the rigors of the Premier League.
Eriksen quickly put those doubts to bed, however, with ten goals and 12 assists in all competitions during his first season. Perhaps more importantly, his game continued to evolve and vary, so much so that he managed to be a vital part of Villas-Boas, Tim Sherwood and now Mauricio Pochettino’s very different systems. Though others might challenge him for the title, he is the starting XI’s primary playmaker for the foreseeable future.
Next: Best Transfer: #3
#3 Best Transfer: Luka Modrić, Central midfielder
Transfer fee: £16.5 million
Former club: Dinamo Zagreb (1. HNL [Croatian First Football League])
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2008 — August 27, 2012
Stats: 160 appearances, 17 goals, 27 assists (in all competitions)
Little could have known what kind of player Luka Modrić was going to be when he arrived at Tottenham in 2008. Sure, he was good, but he was also small and decidedly unlike most other Premier League players. Would he be able to cope with the physicality of the English game?
Harry Redknapp answered that question firmly in the affirmative early on. Though he primarily played as a number 10 before – and still does for Croatia – Redknapp had Modrić much deeper in midfield, acting as the engine around which Tottenham’s counter-attacking gears revolved. Modrić succeeded admirably despite his size and quickly repaid his sizable price tag. His contributions weren’t always obvious, but there’s little doubt that Tottenham owed its Champions League season in no small part to the diminutive Croat.
Next: Best Transfer: #2
#2 Best Transfer: Hugo Lloris, Goalkeeper
Transfer fee: £12 million
Former club: Olympique Lyon (Ligue 1)
Years with Spurs: August 31, 2012 — Present
Stats: 144 appearances, 166 goals conceded, 49 clean sheets (in all competitions, thus far)
Tottenham will, on occasion, perform an absolute coup on the transfer market, one that is undeniable from the moment the papers are signed. Hugo Lloris was such a player.
The French national team keeper had been performing exceedingly well for Lyon and seemed destined to a call up to a bigger team. He in theory could have had the pick of several other teams besides Tottenham, teams that were qualified for the Champions League. Instead – no doubt through a little financial convincing on the part of Levy – Lloris chose Tottenham, and evidently hasn’t looked back. He is currently one of the best goalkeepers in the Premier League, if not the best outright. At only 28, there’s no reason to think his influence will be fading anytime soon.
Next: Best Transfer: #1
#1 Best Transfer: Gareth Bale, Left Winger
Transfer fee: £7 million
Former club: Southampton (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2007 — September 1, 2013
Stats: 203 appearances, 56 goals, 58 assists (in all competitions)
For a player that ended his career at Tottenham on such a world-beating high, Gareth Bale’s start at the club was relatively modest. He was highly rated enough to warrant an initial £10 million transfer from Southampton’s vaunted youth academy – later renegotiated down to £7 million – but only came into the club as a left-back. No one is ready to believe a teenage full-back is going to be one of the club’s all-time best players.
Through Harry Redknapp’s tutelage, Bale evolved his style and eventually moved forward into attack. Over several more years his skills became more and more evident, and it began to show on the pitch in a big way. The final two years he was with Tottenham were entirely his. He dictated games all on his own and practically dragged the club through to wins. By the time Daniel Levy negotiated his sale, he was valued at over 12 times the amount Tottenham originally paid for him. By both his contributions to the club and his considerable resale value, Bale represents the greatest transfer in the history of Tottenham Hotspur
From the best transfers to the worst. Let’s begin.
Next: Worst Transfer: #5
#5 Worst Transfer: Hélder Postiga, Striker
Transfer fee: £6.25 million
Former club: FC Porto (Liga NOS [Portuguese League])
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2003 — July 9, 2004
Stats: 19 appearances, 1 goal, 0 assists (in all competitions)
Hélder Postiga should have been a great addition to Glenn Hoddle’s Tottenham team. He was just coming off a treble with his boyhood club FC Porto, a campaign in which the striker had scored 19 goals. Along with fellow newcomer Bobby Zamora, 20-year-old Postiga was to be the future of Tottenham’s attack.
Only he wasn’t. He played 19 games in his first and only season with the club and scored precisely one goal. One would imagine that by chance alone he would have scored more than once over that time period, but Postiga was just that bad. The Portuguese returned to Porto the next season, never to return.
Next: Worst Transfer: #4
#4 Worst Transfer: Darren Bent, Striker
Transfer fee: £16.5 million
Former club: Charlton Athletic (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2007 — August 5, 2009
Stats: 79 appearances, 25 goals, 7 assists (in all competitions)
Few might include Darren Bent as one of Tottenham’s worst failures. He scored 25 goals over two seasons, right? That’s not good for a striker, but it’s also not terrible.
Considering that Bent ranks as one of the club’s most expensive transfers ever, his poor return rate wasn’t justified. Period. Levy and company were so disappointed in their investment that they sold him for a loss to Sunderland only two years into the Englishman’s contract. Bent promptly scored 24 goals in the next season for the Black Cats, damaging his reputation at Spurs all the more.
Next: Worst Transfer: #3
#3 Worst Transfer: Paulinho, Central midfielder
Transfer fee: £17 million
Former club: Corinthians (Brasiliero Serie A)
Years with Spurs: July 6, 2013 — July 1, 2015
Stats: 67 appearances, 10 goals, 7 assists (in all competitions)
When he first arrived at the club, many thought that Tottenham had unearthed a buried treasure in Paulinho. The Brazilian had played in Europe before – albeit Eastern Europe – but had returned home after failing to impress there. At Corinthians, however, he looked to be reborn, and Tottenham saw fit to give him a second chance.
There were, admittedly, a few moments where it looked like Paulinho would live up to his price tag. Much more often however, he looked like he didn’t quite understand where he was supposed to be on the pitch. Was he a midfielder or attacker? Was he supposed to pass or shoot? To be fair, management seemed to be asking themselves these same questions, but that doesn’t defend the fact that Paulinho was not the player Tottenham needed him to be. His second stint in Europe ended about as well as his first.
Next: Worst Transfer: #2
#2 Worst Transfer: David Bentley, Right midfielder
Transfer fee: £15 million
Former club: Blackburn Rovers (Premier League)
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2008 — July 1, 2013
Stats: 62 appearances, 5 goals, 11 assists (in all competitions)
Once slated as the next David Beckham, Arsenal youth product David Bentley became anything but. He would leave north London for Blackburn, where he admittedly did perform reasonably well. His return to his boyhood club’s rival would prove to be disastrous, however.
Bentley quickly established that something had been lost between Blackburn and Tottenham. After scoring only once in his first season, he was quickly supplanted in right midfield by Aaron Lennon. Considering that Lennon came in at a fraction of Bentley’s cost and wasn’t even exactly a goal machine himself, this was a pretty damning critique.
The Englishman ended up being loaned out four times by Tottenham before eventually retiring from the game on June 30, 2014.
Next: Worst Transfer: #1
#1 Worst Transfer: Roberto Soldado, Striker
Transfer fee: £25.8 million
Former club: Valencia (La Liga)
Years with Spurs: August 5, 2013 — August 14, 2015
Stats: 76 appearances, 16 goals, 11 assists (all competitions)
Before Érik Lamela trumped it mere weeks later, Roberto Soldado’s transfer fee was a record for Tottenham. He was just coming off a season in Spain where he was the most prolific goalscorer not named Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. Tottenham figured they had gotten their man to solve their striking woes. They could not have been more wrong.
Somehow, Soldado’s skillset simply did not translate into the English game. He often would do just about everything right up until the final shot, which would almost invariably miss the target by some measure. Critics said he was suffering at first from over-confidence, and then as the matches wore on and the non-penalty goals did not come, it was later known as a shattered confidence.
As Emanuel Adebayor’s hot streak came and went just in time for Harry Kane to begin his ascent, Soldado got less and less look-ins to the first-team. By the end of last season he was the afterthought of afterthoughts. Tottenham did manage to get a decent check for him from Villarreal this summer, but still took a considerable loss on the striker.
We’ve done the best and worst transfers, now it’s time for the best bargains.
Next: Best Bargain: #5
#5 Best Bargain: Brad Friedel, Goalkeeper
Transfer fee: Free
Former club: Aston Villa (Premier League)
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2011 — July 1, 2015
Stats: 67 appearances, 76 goals conceded, 19 clean sheets (in all competitions)
When Tottenham decided to move on from the occasionally absent-minded Heurelho Gomes in 2011, out-of-contract American keeper Brad Friedel was the man they turned to.
At 40-years-old, Friedel wasn’t supposed to be in his prime, and yet he quickly established himself at Tottenham and made a huge contribution to the 2011/12 season. Not as mobile as he once was with Aston Villa or Blackburn Rovers, Friedel was still a commanding presence between the sticks and regularly bolstered the club’s defensive line. Tottenham finished fourth that year and only missed out on a Champions League spot due to Chelsea beating Bayern Munich in the Champions League final in May.
Friedel was so good that when Hugo Lloris arrived the next season, it was Friedel that André Villas-Boas chose to stick with in the first part of the season. Lloris would eventually win out, but Friedel stayed on for two more years as a reserve keeper and still to this day acts as a club ambassador in the United States.
Next: Best Bargain: #4
#4 Best Bargain: Kyle Walker, Right-back
Transfer Fee: £4.5 million
Former club: Sheffield United (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: July 22, 2009 — Present
Stats: 172 appearances, 4 goals, 12 assists (in all competitions, thus far)
Kyle Walker is the longest serving member of today’s Tottenham starting XI for good reason. He is everything the club has ever needed in a right-back: excellent on defense and an impressive contributor in attack.
When he was brought to the club from Sheffield United along with Kyle Naughton, it was hard to envision Walker becoming the Spurs veteran he is today. Three consecutive successful loan stints inside and outside the Premier League helped changed that, however, and now he’s among the more reliable cogs in the Tottenham machine.
Next: Best Bargain: #3
#3 Best Bargain: Scott Parker, Central midfielder
Transfer fee: £5.5 million
Former club: West Ham United (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: August 31, 2011 — August 19, 2013
Stats: 63 appearances, 0 goals, 6 assists (in all competitions)
Harry Redknapp needed a bulldog in central midfield, and he found it in Scott Parker. And he got him at a bargain basement price considering what the Englishman later did for Tottenham.
The former Newcastle and West Ham veteran slipped right into Tottenham’s starting XI, aggressively patrolling the center of the pitch in an old English style of football that somehow still fit well with the club’s continental aspirations. His tackles, tight marking and leadership helped propel Tottenham to as-yet-unreached heights, and he did it all whilst looking like he just stepped out of a time machine from 1955.
Both Redknapp and later Villas-Boas found a need for Parker’s no frills take on the game, and he was successfully utilized in Tottenham’s fourth place finish in 2012 and their Premier League record points total the year after. It’s no surprise that the 35-year-old Parker continues to ply his trade for Fulham in the Championship to this day
Next: Best Bargain: #2
#2 Best Bargain: Emmanuel Adebayor
Transfer fee: £5 million
Former club: Manchester City (Premier League)
Years with Spurs: August 25, 2011 — September 13, 2015
Stats: 113 appearances, 42 goals, 20 assists (in all competitions)
Tottenham fans might not yet be ready to admit just how amazing Emmanuel Adebayor was for the club after this past summer’s transfer drama. He might have left the club acrimoniously, but there’s no denying what he did for Spurs before it came to that.
Especially considering the modest amount paid for him – and the fact that Manchester City continued to supplement his income even after his rights were bought. Adebayor turned in a truly exceptional effort for Tottenham, or at least he did so on occasion.
That gets to the root of Adebayor’s problem. He had two unabashedly quality seasons – first under Redknapp, then under Tim Sherwood – but between those two high points were some remarkable lows. The goals he did score were part of some successful seasons though, and for that he should be remembered fondly.
Next: Best Bargain: #1
#1 Best Bargain: Dele Alli
Transfer fee: £5 million
Former club: MK Dons (Football League 1)
Years with Spurs: May 31, 2015 — Present
Stats: 22 appearances, 4 goals 1 assist (in all competitions, thus far)
It might seem way too early to include Dele Alli on this list at all – much less at number one – but what’s more important about the young Englishman’s signing is what it says about the future of Tottenham itself. The youngster’s regular appearances on the first team are a testament to the power of efficient scouting over expensive splashes into the transfer market.
The club bought Alli from MK Dons on February 2, 2015 only to immediately loan the 19-year-old back to the club for the duration of the season. He was subsequently brought into the first-team squad in the summer and – thanks in part to injuries – has quickly established himself as a member of Tottenham’s starting XI. He’s even earned an England call up along the way. While there’s no telling what can happen with Alli and his development at the club, what can be said is that Tottenham are finally finding its feet when it comes to the transfer market.
If those bargains looked great, then these expensive transfers will hurt your eyes.
Next: Most Expensive: #5
#5 Most Expensive: Darren Bent, Striker
Transfer fee: £16.5 million
Former club: Charlton Athletic (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2007 — August 5, 2009
Stats: 79 appearances, 25 goals, 7 assists (in all competitions)
The first-ever club record transfer signing was striker Darren Bent from Championship side, Charlton Athletic. At the time of this signing, Bent had proven to many people that he was a great goalscorer with his two previous clubs Ipswich Town (129 appearances, 50 goals) and Charlton Athletic (76 appearances, 35 goals). And while Darren Bent did continue his streak of scoring plenty of goals with his third club, Tottenham, the English striker faced an uphill battle with Spurs throughout his two-year tenure.
During Martin Jol and Juande Ramos’ stints as manager, Darren Bent was more often than not, the fourth-choice striker behind Dimitar Berbatov, Robbie Keane and Jermaine Defoe. When Harry Redknapp took over as manager, with Keane and Defoe still on the squad and Peter Crouch available during the summer of 2009, Redknapp wanted to sign Crouch and bring him back home with Spurs. The eventual numbers game from the very beginning at the striker position, despite having a track record of scoring goals, was Darren Bent’s undoing unfortunately.
Next: Most Expensive: #4
#4 Most Expensive: Paulinho, Central midfielder
Transfer fee: £17 million
Former club: Corinthians (Brasiliero Serie A)
Years with Spurs: July 6, 2013 — July 1, 2015
Stats: 67 appearances, 10 goals, 7 assists (in all competitions)
Paulinho would only become the third ever Brazilian to wear a Tottenham shirt and just like his compatriots before him (Heurelho Gomes and Sandro Raniere), Paulinho would be sold. After two years, with Spurs it’s safe to say and look back on it now — the Brazilian midfielder’s stay with Tottenham was okay at best. He wasn’t bad per se, but Paulinho didn’t have many standout performances during his matches.
And while you don’t always need to have Man of the Match moments all the time, it’s hard to recall many memorable moments off the top of your head. Still, Paulinho managed to record decent statistics as a box-to-box midfielder who was underutilized in Mauricio Pochettino’s offense. A major reason why, was because of Ryan Mason’s emergence into the first-team. As well as proving to be a better option to play at central midfield during Pochettino’s first year as Tottenham’s manager. This would eventually prove too difficult for the Brazilian international to overcome when he was given limited playing and in the end settled for a transfer to China this past summer.
Next: Most Expensive: #3
#3 Most Expensive: Son Heung-min, Attacking Midfielder
Transfer fee: £22 million
Former club: Bayer Leverkusen (Bundesliga)
Years with Spurs: August 28, 2015 — present
Stats: 13 appearances, 3 goals, 4 assists (in all competitions, thus far)
The 23-year-old South Korean international just recently came to Tottenham following a six-year stay in Germany split between two clubs: Hamburger SV and Bayer Leverkusen. With the 2015-16 season still ongoing, Son Heung-min doesn’t have much in terms of statistics due in large part because the season is yet to reach the midway point. But also because he was injured for 38 days from September 26 through November 3rd, missing seven games in all competitions.
That being said, in his brief time while in the starting lineup or coming off of the bench, to score three goals and register four assists in only 13 appearances is very good. That’s seven combined goals that the South Korean international has helped contribute for Tottenham, whether he’s scoring or assisting. If Son can remain healthy for the rest of the season then there should be no reason as to why he can’t continue to build off of what he has done so far since joining Spurs.
Next: Most Expensive: #2
#2 Most Expensive: Roberto Soldado, Striker
Transfer fee: £25.8 million
Former club: Valencia (La Liga)
Years with Spurs: August 5, 2013 — August 14, 2015
Stats: 76 appearances, 16 goals, 11 assists (in all competitions)
Roberto Soldado was Tottenham’s most expensive transfer record at nearly £26 million. But he isn’t anymore. Upon arriving from Spain and playing in England, the Spanish striker’s first season with Tottenham was very good: 36 appearances, 11 goals and five assists in all competitions.
But after André Villas-Boas and Tim Sherwood were sacked, Mauricio Pochettino would deem the Spanish striker obsolete as the 30-year-old — through a shattered confidence — couldn’t replicate the success that he had in his first year in the Premier League.
To this day, Roberto Soldado is a serviceable striker from his time in Spain (before he left and after he returned) and for a season in England. But a bad turn in form and being unlucky more times than not, ended his brief stint with Tottenham prematurely doubting his goalscoring abilities. In the end, Soldado’s miscues during the 2014-15 season is just an aberration only.
Next: Most Expensive: #1
#1 Most Expensive: Érik Lamela, Right Winger
Transfer fee: £29.9 million (£25.7 million base + £4.2 million bonus payments)
Former club: AS Roma (Serie A)
Years with Spurs: August 30, 2013 — Present
Stats: 82 appearances, 13 goals, 17 assists (in all competitions, thus far)
With the initial transfer fee sitting at £25.7 million plus £4.2 million in bonus payments, this brings the total all the way up to £29.9 million. This easily makes Érik Lamela by far, the most expensive transfer in Tottenham’s club history.
The Argentine winger’s first season with Spurs ended with injury but before that, Lamela found the transition to English football very hard to overcome. Which was no surprise considering he was just 21-years-old at the time. Two years later and Lamela is continuing to get better as a player after building off of a very solid 2014-15 season. There’s still so much for the Argentine international to do in order to fully live up to Spurs’ price of nearly £30 million, but this season is a great step in the right direction.
And finally, here are the best Under-21 players Tottenham signed.
Next: Best Youth Player: #5
#5 Best Youth Player: Robbie Keane, Striker
Transfer fee: £7 million
Former club: Leeds United (Premier League)
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2002 — July 1, 2008; July 1, 2009 — August 1, 2011
Stats: 291 appearances, 117 goals, 24 assists (in all competitions)
Glenn Hoddle had been searching for a striker near the end of the 2002 summer transfer window and settled upon the Republic of Ireland international, Robbie Keane. After arriving, the initial thought was to give the Irish striker some competition against Teddy Sheringham, Les Ferdinand, Steffen Iversen and Sergei Rebrov for a place in the first-team. Although signing from Leeds, and playing for Inter Milan before that, both spells weren’t that good.
A good World Cup earlier in the summer of 2002 would help quell supporters’ thoughts on the signing of Robbie Keane, if there were any. Eventually Keane would be the main striker after posting double digit goals in his first three seasons, but would take a back seat once Jermain Defoe signed for the club.
Despite having to share with Defoe as one of Tottenham’s main strikers, throughout Keane’s first six years with Spurs, he enjoyed success establishing himself as one of Tottenham’s best strikers to play for the club in two separate stints. For a total of nine years.
Next: Best Youth Player: #4
#4 Best Youth Player: Jermain Defoe, Striker
Transfer fee: £7 million
Former club: West Ham United (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: January 1, 2004 — January 1, 2008; January 1, 2009 — February 2, 2014
Stats: 357 appearances, 138 goals, 32 assists (in all competitions)
Jermain Defoe was a last minute signing for Tottenham during the 2004 winter transfer window under Martin Jol as manager. What was originally going to be a straight money swap between West Ham United and Tottenham, ended up becoming a player-plus-cash transfer that involved Bobby Zamora heading to the Hammers in exchange for Defoe and £7 million.
At the time of this move by both clubs, it was a good deal for Martin Jol of Spurs and Alan Pardew of West Ham. But in the end, Tottenham basically won the transfer deal with Jermain Defoe, as he ended up posting impressive numbers. A strike force with Jermain Defoe and Robbie Keane proved to be too much for defenses when looking at the overall numbers between these two.
In the modern era of Tottenham’s strikers, no one was better than Defoe when it came to scoring goals over a 10-year spell with the Lilywhites. Only Keane, in nine years, can claim a close second place.
Next: Best Youth Player: #3
#3 Best Youth Player: Aaron Lennon, Right midfielder
Transfer fee: £1 million
Former club: Leeds United (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: July 1, 2005 — September 1, 2015
Stats: 364 appearances, 30 goals, 77 assists (in all competitions)
Before being phased out of Mauricio Pochettino’s team completely last season, Aaron Lennon had been the longest serving member of Spurs during the 21st century, since joining the club back in July 1, 2005. While Jermain Defoe spent 10 years donning the Lilywhites’ shirt, it was split up between two stints. The same for Robbie Keane who played for Tottenham in nine years.
As Tottenham’s mainstay at right midfield for six different managers and one caretaker manager, Lennon was a beloved player at White Hart Lane during his stay. He would become a part of a mid-table club upon joining and eventually leaving on good terms to see Tottenham fall short of two goals: a Champions League spot and lifting up the League Cup once again after the 2014-15 season.
Spurs are moving in the right direction under Mauricio Pochettino, but for 10 years, the player known as “Azza” was a big part of steering Tottenham to great heights. Two main highlights were being a part of 2008 League Cup winning team and a quarter-finalist in the Champions League.
Next: Best Youth Player: #2
#2 Best Youth Player: Michael Dawson, Center-back
Transfer fee: £4 million
Former club: Nottingham Forest (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: January 1, 2005 — August 26, 2014
Stats: 324 appearances, 10 goals, 6 assists (in all competitions)
One of Tottenham’s best players to wear a Spurs shirt throughout the past decade. Michael Dawson was the epitome of what Ledley King was before him — a rock in central defense. In fact, for nearly 10 years, Dawson would not only learn from King but play with him, albeit sparingly due to King’s chronic knee injuries.
The official changing of the guard, where Tottenham would be Michael Dawson’s team, happened once King, who was club captain for many years would step away from football and retire on July 19, 2012. A few months later, before the start of the 2012-13 season, Dawson would wear the captain’s armband to begin a new chapter without the heart and soul of defense.
Two more years, following Ledley King’s retirement, is what Michael Dawson would be given as Tottenham’s squad would begin getting younger with the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino. Eventually Dawson would be sold to Hull City leaving behind a legacy that could almost be on par with the great Ledley King as one of the best center-backs for Spurs.
Next: Best Youth Player: #1
#1 Best Youth Player: Gareth Bale, Left Winger
Transfer fee: £7 million
Former club: Southampton (Football League Championship)
Years with Spurs: June 1, 2007 — September 1, 2013
Stats: 203 appearances, 56 goals, 58 assists (in all competitions)
A 17-year-old left-back would sign from Southampton to join Tottenham but he would later switch positions once Harry Redknapp took charge as manager. It may have taken a couple of years to fully realize his potential — as a left winger instead — but when Gareth Bale had the ball, and was the only proven goalscorer on a team that lacked them, Bale simply dominated the opposition.
Time and time again, Spurs were bailed out by Gareth Bale’s magnificent efforts helping lead Tottenham to wins all by himself. The only thing that stopped Bale from continuing his success at White Hart Lane was fulfilling a dream move to join Real Madrid.
And that right there folks, are the top five best, worst, bargain bin pickups, most expensive and best youth players all signed with Daniel Levy as chairman of Tottenham. There may still be doubts that Levy doesn’t have a clue on what he’s doing, but no one can deny that he didn’t find some of the best footballers in the world to come and play for Spurs for a few seasons. While arguably having some of their best seasons wearing Lilywhite before moving on to other clubs and having mixed results.
With a sophisticated scouting model and the means to efficiently grow young players, Tottenham can transform itself from a big money buying club — with some players panning out and others busting — into a cost effective development club with no discernible impact on the pitch. We can expect more and more bargains like Alli in the years to come with Mauricio Pochettino as the man to bring about that change, and Dele Alli as its embodiment.
We’re done with what was, now let’s explore what could have been. Next up we’ve got the top five most rumored moves to Tottenham that never came to pass.
Next: #5 Best Transfer Rumor
#5 Best Transfer Rumor: João Moutinho, Defensive Midfielder
Rumored transfer fee: £24 million
Former club: FC Porto (Liga NOS [Portuguese League])
Current club: AS Monaco (Ligue 1)
Current club stats: 107 appearances, 6 goals, 18 assists (in all competitions)
The beginning of André Villas-Boas’ reign at Tottenham felt like it would be transformative. The Portugeuse coach was going to bring in an entirely new system from Harry Redknapp’s, one focusing on insanely high offside traps and direct attacking football. To some, the loss of Luka Modrić to Real Madrid didn’t even seem like that big of a deal. Villas-Boas was going to have the funds to bring in the players he needed to play his game.
Near the top of that list was then-25-year-old João Moutinho, then of FC Porto. The Portuguese midfielder was the kind of player Villas-Boas needed at the base of his Tottenham midfield, shielding the defense and cycling possession forward. Villas-Boas even convinced Daniel Levy to spend big in order to acquire his signature. Valued then at £24 million, he would have been Tottenham’s most expensive transfer to date.
If the rumors are true, Tottenham actually came very close to completing the deal, only to have it evaporate in the closing hours of the 2012 summer transfer window. The player would eventually move on to AS Monaco, where he plays to this day.
Next: #4 Best Transfer Rumor
#4 Best Transfer Rumor: Louis Van Gaal, Manager
Rumored transfer fee: N/A
Former club: Netherlands national team
Current club: Manchester United
Current club stats: 71 matches, 36 wins, 18 draws, 17 losses (in all competitions)
Okay so, no, this isn’t a player rumor. At the time that rumors were swirling about Louis Van Gaal coming to Tottenham however, it seemed to be just about as important. Van Gaal was a world class coach, having previously been with both Barcelona and Bayern Munich. If Tottenham would be his next destination following the completion of his duties with the Netherlands national team in the 2014 World Cup, it would have been a coup of the highest order.
After a surprisingly successful World Cup where the Netherlands finished third behind Germany and Argentina, Van Gaal’s ambitions grew at pace with his stature. He came back from Brazil as the presumptive next Manchester United manager, and took up his position at Old Trafford shortly thereafter.
In truth, this was almost undoubtedly better for Tottenham. The club would eventually select Mauricio Pochettino, a manager who continues to impress after a year and a half on the job. Van Gaal, in contrast, is in danger of losing his job at United after a prolonged series of sterile performances. It’s safe to assume that many United fans might be looking at Pochettino – Tottenham’s consolation choice after Van Gaal – with no small amount of envy.
Next: #3 Best Transfer Rumor
#3 Best Transfer Rumor: Saido Berahino, Center Forward
Rumored transfer fee: £25 million
Former club: West Bromwich Albion (Premier League)
Current club: West Bromwich Albion
Current club stats: 93 appearances, 32 goals, 9 assists (in all competitions)
The saga of Saido Berahino is all too familiar with Tottenham fans. Daniel Levy spent the bulk of the summer subtly wooing the young English striker to north London, but in the end failed spectacularly when his attempts to find a bargain price were repeatedly rejected by West Brom.
While we haven’t had another transfer window since, Levy’s failure here seemed to mark the end of the wheeler-dealer kind of transfer policy that had come to characterize the club. No longer were clubs going to be low balled in the final hours of the transfer window or take a structured deal that tilted wildly in Tottenham’s favor. What’s more, in being so aggressive about the transfer Levy soured relations with West Brom and other Premier League clubs.
It wasn’t Tottenham or Levy’s finest hour, but it will likely serve as a learning experience going forward. Deadline day deals are likely a thing of the past in an era of lucrative TV contracts. There’s simply not the same financial incentive to sell players at all, much less at the desperately low prices Levy usually specializes in.
Next: #2 Best Transfer Rumor
#2 Best Transfer Rumor: Willian, Attacking Midfielder
Rumored transfer fee: £30 million
Former club: Anzhi Mahkachkala (Russian Premier League)
Current club: Chelsea (Premier League)
Current club stats: 115 appearances, 15 goals, 16 assists (in all competitions)
Following Gareth Bale’s sale in the summer 2013, Tottenham were linked with no shortage of players in just about every position on the pitch. We all know the laundry list of mostly failed players that came in with the Bale money, though few might know just how close Tottenham came to adding on a current Premier League star.
Willian had first caught the attention of Europe’s powerhouse clubs after a string of wonderful performances for perennial Ukrainian champions Shakhtar Donetsk, though ended up being among the small handful of talented players attracted in the early ’10s to the money of the then-wealthy Russian club Anzhi. He didn’t stay there long before rumors again began to circulate in regard to his next destination.
Tottenham aggressively pursued the Brazilian, even agreeing to a fee and personal terms in the summer of 2013. All that was left was to conduct a medical, and he was due to be unveiled. Unfortunately, somewhere in the interim Chelsea got a hold of Willian. They offered more money on better terms because, of course, they’re Chelsea and they can do that kind of thing. Willian abandoned his agreement with Tottenham and moved to the other side of London.
Next: #1 Best Transfer Rumor
#1 Best Transfer Rumor: Leandro Damião, Striker
Rumored transfer fee: £21 million
Former club: Internacional (Campeonato Brasileiro Série A)
Current club: Unattached
Current club stats: N/A
Leandro Damião haunted Tottenham transfer rumors for entirely too long. The then-Internacional man was purportedly on just about every major European club’s radar, but Tottenham had the initiative due to a rumored right-of-first-refusal deal made with the Brazilian club for its players.
At his height, Damião looked like he was worth the hype. He was scoring on the regular in Brazil and getting called up to the seleção. All it would take to get him to north London was for his fee to be negotiated.
Next: Conversation Corner: Tottenham Clinches Fourth Place
Unfortunately – or fortunately, but we’ll get to that in a second – the man doing the negotiating was Daniel Levy. The £21 million price tag was entirely too much. It would have been a record transfer fee for Tottenham, and considering it was being spent for a player who had never played outside of Brazil that was quite the ask. The rumors faded along with, supposedly, Tottenham’s interest.
Since then, Damião’s career hasn’t exactly blossomed. He never did make that move to Europe, instead moving to Santos FC then Cruzeiro. His game failed to improve with age and on December 10th of this year he was released entirely from professional football. Needless to say, Tottenham still doesn’t appear to be interested in Damião’s services these days, even if they came for free.