Eriksen’s Wage Demands Complicate New Tottenham Contract
By Ryan Wrenn
Negotiations to renew Christian Eriksen’s contract at Tottenham have taken an unexpected turn.
The Telegraph reports that Eriksen’s agent countered Daniel Levy’s offer with a demand that his client earn £150,000 a week.
Such a salary would represent a substantial increase from the rumored £32,000 a week Eriksen earns now. It’s also roughly twice what the club’s current highest earner — Hugo Lloris — makes.
Though many of their rivals might not bat an eye at paying a player like Eriksen so much, it’s a sticking point for Tottenham. Levy operates under a extremely tight budget that leaves little room for such dramatic pay increases. That rigidity prevents Tottenham from acquiring players like Michy Batshuayi, but it also makes paying for the club’s new stadium much more feasible.
In the short term, however, Levy and Spurs will have to consider their options with Eriksen. Paying him what he demands isn’t on its own an issue. Rather, it’s a matter of precedent. If Eriksen gets the deal he wants, what’s to stop his teammates from making similar demands? With Jan Vertonghen and Érik Lamela next up for renewal talks, there’s a strong incentive to bring Eriksen and his agent down.
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In its own way, this situation captures the dichotomy of Tottenham. On the surface it’s a progressive club that concentrates on youth, developing its own talent and finding talented but undervalued players on the transfer market.
In an age of increasingly inflated transfer fees for players that aren’t always a sure bet, Tottenham’s policy feels refreshing. Mauricio Pochettino is as much an ecologist as he is a revolutionary. He recognizes that the excess of football’s natural world will only lead to its ruin, and promises a better way. The results he’s earned thus far lend some credence to his methods.
A more cynical view here would be that Pochettino’s philosophy and Levy’s tolerance of it are more closely associated with the bottom line. While developing talent certainly has its practical effects on the pitch, it’s also eminently affordable compared to spending, say, £96 million on Paul Pogba. With Spurs’ new stadium on the horizon, such fiscal practicality is paramount.
What happens when it works though? Qualifying for the Champions League was a welcome surprise last season. It also takes Tottenham to a tier of team that should, in theory, be able to pay Champions League wages — and has much more incentive to do so.
From Levy’s perspective, that’s a bit of a problem. His players are aware that the club is making more money than ever and need them more than ever. They have leverage.
Even if Tottenham didn’t qualified for the Champions League, Levy would have had this problem as the squad gained experience. Recruiting and fielding younger players has its pluses, but it’s not a long term strategy. Levy’s wage structure essentially demands constant turnover if it’s to be implemented over a period of years.
When it comes to a player like Eriksen, turnover is less than ideal. Tottenham wouldn’t be without suitors for their playmaker if they wanted to offload him. Juventus and Inter are both reportedly waiting their chance to pay Eriksen the wages he demands. While that might be best for the club’s business end, it only hurts Pochettino’s ability to sustain Tottenham’s level.
Next: Lloris: Tottenham Only Needs Fine Tuning
The next few weeks and months will decide how the club fairs in this existential balance. Not just with Eriksen, but then with Vertonghen and Lamela and every other Tottenham player. Levy needs to decide if Tottenham are a club in transition of if they’re ready to become the big club they appear to be.