Are Tottenham close to losing Eric Dier to a £50 million United bid?
By Gary Pearson
Jose Mourinho is reportedly taking Spurs’ £50 million valuation of Eric Dier in stride and, according to the Manchester Evening News, is still keen on poaching him away from Spurs.
Tottenham are doing their utmost to deter United from prolonging their interest in Dier, but so far efforts haven failed to dissuade the Red Devils and their bottomless pockets.
Briefcases full of £100 notes are being dangled in front of Daniel Levy to cajole him into selling one of Tottenham’s most talented, versatile and promising players. It’s an epidemic plaguing world football and there’s no end to the bleeding in sight.
Tottenham finished 17 points ahead of United in the 2016-17 Premier League title and are, if they could somehow keep their team intact, on the verge of achieving something special, yet still have no hope of competing with the kind of financial clout United have at their disposal.
It’s a deep-seated prevailing issue that pervades world football, and one that has the potential of increasing the gulf – which is already the size of the Grand Canyon – between the super rich and every other team. How long will Levy be able to brush aside increasingly lucrative offers for Dier and other top Spurs players?
Even with Tottenham’s unrivalled unity and steadfast collective camaraderie, It’s becoming almost impossible for teams like Spurs to keep their squads intact.
No chance for a dynasty
Dynasties are almost unheard of modern football.
Only a select few glutinous, greedy flush teams, those immune to the prospect of being decimated and dismantled by big-money transfers, can assemble a team that continuously, and consistently, wins trophies.
Is it not time to put a stop to a problem that, like a runaway train, is becoming more unstoppable and progressively problematic?
While North American sports certainly have their flaws, the National Hockey League places a salary cap on each team to control player salaries and overall spending, thereby maintaining a semblance of parity.
Sure, the Pittsburgh Penguins have won back-to-back championships but that’s more down to them having one of the best players in the world and not due to uncontrollable spending.
Maybe it’s time for the FA and other football federations to take a long look in the mirror and put an end to this superfluous spending madness. Otherwise, nothing can stop teams like United, Real Madrid and Barcelona from stealing our most prized possessions while we helplessly watch from afar.
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Because let’s be honest, United splashing out £50 million on Eric Dier is tantamount to Roman Abramovich doling out a few hundred dollars for at five-course meal at fancy, extravagant five-star restaurant.
It’s a mere drop in a vast and deep financial ocean.
It’s something most people, barring football aristocracy, want to put an end to, but don’t have the means or capacity to do so.
And if Dier goes, it’s not because anyone on the white side of north London, including Levy, wants him to.