Adam Lallana Rules Out Joining Tottenham this Summer
A week ago, Liverpool midfielder, Adam Lallana, was rumored to be a potential transfer target for Tottenham Hotspur to help upgrade their bench and improve the quality they have behind their three starters.
Tottenham have always been linked with high-profile players for the past couple of seasons, and while Adam Lallana isn’t exactly in that conversation of big-name footballers, Spurs’ 2015-16 season shows that potential targets which Mauricio Pochettino’s side wouldn’t have gone after are now an option.
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Of course, the rumors linking Lallana and Tottenham only lasted for a week, as the England international has politely declined a summer move to rejoin his former manager in favor of staying with Liverpool and Jürgen Klopp.
According to the London Evening Standard, the 28-year-old’s desire to remain at Anfield is both a combination of his current contract (he has three years left) and the fact that he can help Liverpool compete for some silverware, like the this year’s Europa League final against Sevilla.
“No, not for me. I’ve got three years left on my contract,” Lallana said when asked if he would consider a transfer this summer to join Tottenham.
“It was only last season that people might have read I was leaving and thought, ‘Yes, let’s get him out.’ But football changes very quickly and I’m really enjoying my football under this manager.”
“I have always had a good relationship with Pochettino. I am delighted he has had a very good season and I wanted him to win the league. But it is going to be very difficult [to leave Liverpool].”
“I am at a massive club here and playing some of my best football for the club, getting to cup finals; it is definitely just speculation.”
The only drawback for signing Adam Lallana would be his price tag of £20 million. While a new TV deal and Champions League football next season will more than make up for any high-priced player, Mauricio Pochettino and the rest of Tottenham’s transfer committee have stopped making big money transfers after the summer of 2013.
Except for one player: Son Heung-Min.
Based on Tottenham’s tendencies since Mauricio Pochettino and Paul Mitchell have worked together from November 2014, the club’s most expensive signing was Son who cost them £22 million.
No one else has come close to £20 million since that signing. Both Clinton N’Jie and Toby Alderweireld were less than £13 million each.
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Again, Spurs can spend with all the money that they’ll be receiving, but it doesn’t fit their current philosophy of spending smartly and going for young players.
Michy Batshuayi of Olympique Marseille and Saido Berahino of West Bromwich Albion will cost around £20-plus million, and although they could definitely improve Tottenham’s depth up top at the wide positions or at striker, it may just be a bit too much for Pochettino and company.
Using Transfer League, and looking through Tottenham’s transfers after Mauricio Pochettino joined on May 2014, it shows that he values young players who fits his team but can also be bought for the right price.
Here’s a quick rundown (in alphabetical order from summer 2014 to winter 2016):
2014-15 season:
Dele Alli (£5 million), Ben Davies (player swap), Eric Dier (£4 million), Michel Vorm (£3 million) and DeAndre Yedlin (£2.75 million). The combined total is £14.75 million for five players in Mauricio Pochettino’s first season as manager.
2015-16 season:
Toby Alderweireld (£11.5 million), Clinton N’Jie (£12.2 million), Son Heung-Min (£22 million), Shilow Tracey (undisclosed), Kieran Trippier (£3.5 million) and Kevin Wimmer (£4.7 million). The combined total is £53.9 million in Pochettino’s second year in charge and finding plenty of holes to fix.
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Again, from the signings that have been made in just four transfer windows, Tottenham have gone about their business with minimal spending and buying at a fair value. Rather than overspending like they did in 2013 after selling Gareth Bale.
Only one player was signed over £20 million, the rest were well below that. All that says is that Spurs have spent their money wisely. However it does help prove a point that Mauricio Pochettino and Tottenham doesn’t expect much activity this summer.
If they will, it won’t be for anyone near or over what they paid for Son Heung-Min.