More posturing from Tottenham’s Daniel Levy is driving both supporters and the manager mad as we approach the final week of what has proven to be yet another listless transfer period.
Mauricio Pochettino aired his recent frustrations by saying, due to his lack of influence over securing new additions, he’s more of a coach than a manager. It’s a frustration that most Spurs supporters share. A transfer period that started, by signing Tanguy Ndombele, with a bang has since fizzled, leaving Tottenham faithful wondering if they should be resigned to yet another inactive, bitterly disappointing final week.
In the latest developments, Tottenham have purportedly ramped up conversations with Sporting Lisbon over luring Bruno Fernandes to North London. Fernandes is keen as mustard, desiring dearly a move to the Premier League.
Manchester United, after numerous discussions with Sporting, have since curtailed their pursuit of the Portuguese international, leaving Spurs with a golden opportunity to get the deal over the line.
However, everybody knows that Levy will not pay the full asking price for Sporting’s main man, instead quibbling over a few million pounds.
Sound familiar? It should, as the thrifty chairman is concurrently doing the same thing with Real Betis over Giovani Lo Celso.
Tottenham are currently offering Sporting about £55 million, with the Portuguese side remaining resolute, for the meantime, on their £64 million valuation of the 24-year-old.
While I’m all for getting the best deal possible, Levy is in danger of alienating both clubs and ending up with nothing. That outcome would hamper severely Tottenham’s chance of winning the Premier League.
With only five days remaining in the transfer window, Levy must forsake and forgo his frugal idiosyncrasies and put the club first. Counting pennies at this crucial stage of Tottenham’s history is doing a disservice to the club. Fortune favours the bold, not the risk averse. And for all of the chairman’s positive character traits, being financially brave is not one of them.
Heaven forbid the transfer deadline closes with only one significant signing under our belt, as that dreaded outcome will infuriate Pochettino as much as it will the club’s loyal supporter base. If, however, Levy lands either Fernandes or Lo Celso, all will be forgiven.