Transfer Approach Frustration

It feels like every window I read and see the same comments from fans and I also completely understand them.  “Why can we not do our business early?”  “Why is it everyone seems to make signings and spend but not us?” and the most recent common one is “When will we learn!?”

Under manager Pochettino it is clear that he has very high expectations for fitness and conditioning, so much so that when players join the club its often some time before we see them get regular games as they adjust to the new training demands so it begs the question, why in the hell do we always wait until the last minute to sign players?

Wanyama

ONE recent exception being the above pictured player Victor Wanyama, who was signed early in the window last season and fair to say he was one of our best performers.

So why is it we wait and the answer sadly boils down to money but not the bargain bin shopping reason everyone assumes is the case with Daniel Levy.  Yes sure, if you leave it late you may get a few million knocked off a price when a club are keen to sell however is that risk worth it when you don’t get your transfer targets?

Pochettino has said in the past if the players he wants are not signed he does not want just anyone, in fact he would rather sign no one and promote from the academy than sign players he does not personally want to work with.  This sadly does not always work out as sometimes players cannot adjust to his methods and work ethic.

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So if not about saving money on fees how is it the money?  Sadly, it comes down to wages.  Players and more importantly their agents know that Spurs operate on a strict budget and therefore they can often secure larger wages at other clubs.  We have seen in the past how players will be on the verge of joining us and then sign for someone else with Willian being the most public example.

We agreed a fee with his club, agreed terms with the player and he flew to London to have a medical before meeting with Chelsea, getting a deal on double our offer and of course a few days later was a Chelsea player.  Last summer we had the exact same problem with Batshuyai.  A striker Pochettino really wanted.  We had a deal with the club but the player would not commit, his agent made it clear the type of wages he wanted per week and we simply could not do anything with that so had to move on to other targets – as we know – he also ended up getting those wages sitting on the bench at Stamford Bridge.

FIFA Fair Play rules were brought in a number of seasons ago with the aim to stop clubs going to financial ruin, however all it managed to do is ring fence the top sides in European football as the elite.  For Spurs to break that glass ceiling financially we have to increase our turnover and to do that its the new stadium.

Once built and in use the clubs turnover will increase to a new level that means we can spend more on wages and still comply with FIFA rules.  The question on most fans minds though is will we actually do that?

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Daniel Levy has developed a reputation for being a ruthless negotiator and as such many fans dislike him as a chairman feeling he does not invest enough in the club to win trophies, putting profits first.

Only time will tell us if its been restrictions causing us problems or Levy himself.

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