Do you want to win trophies or not?
Do you want to win trophies or not?
Welcome to another edition, an evening one this time, of Tottenham Tittle Tattle from your favourite Spurs blog Tottenham Hotspur Blog News (THBN), which has taken rather a long time to write today.
3,965 words of unadulterated genius... 21,741 characters, oh hang on a minute, Iv'e got to add these in mow.
That's 3,984 words of unadulterated genius... 21, 849 characters... blast I've done it again.
Oh you work it out.
3,965 words of unadulterated genius... 21,741 characters, oh hang on a minute, Iv'e got to add these in mow.
That's 3,984 words of unadulterated genius... 21, 849 characters... blast I've done it again.
Oh you work it out.
Hello everyone, it's another win, so what are we learning from these games?
A week of forecast sun, Spurs winning, what could be better.
A week of forecast sun, Spurs winning, what could be better.
Well, the players are clearly starting to understand the system Mourinho wants them to play and our midfield and working very hard.
It is incredible that winning 3-0 brings complains from the anti-ENIC anti-Levy agenda driven smattering.
Fortunately, few of the blight my life.
I'm afraid these people will always look for a negative, which, as you all know, is a failure trait, instead of looking for a positive, a success trait.
Would you ask a negative person how to solve a problem within your business?
No of course you wouldn't, they would be the last people you turn to, indeed when the opportunity arose you'd "let them go".
I watched the game with no sound at all so I'm not influenced by commentators. I haven't yet listened to after game interviews with players or managers, haven't watched Match of the Day or listened to anyone.
I most certainly haven't read what any journalist has got to say.
Now I haven't seen complaints on Twitter either as I didn't go on straight after the game and I have a bunch of anti-ENIC anti-Levy Twitter accounts blocked.
Successful people are not interested in associating with negative people, although I allow one or two polite people through from this group and yes I do converse with them occasionally.
I do see people complaining about people complaining so some people must be complaining!
We won 3-0 for goodness sake.
There are two routes when you are 3-0 up, go on and win 6-0 or shut up shop and defend what you have.
The José Mourinho method is to defend a lead and he has been very successful with this approach.
But supporters know better than a serial winner qualified in his trade!
There is an aspect here nobody seems to have considered, but as someone who has taken two coaching qualifications, this game presented us with a wonderful opportunity.
To win anything Spurs have to be defensively strong.
Now you can practice all you like on the training field against your own players, but against an opposition attacking force with different ideas it is a different matter.
What better opportunity to practice your defensive solidity in a real live match situation than to go 3-0 up against a team in the top 4?
It was an opportunity too good to miss.
It lays the groundwork for future games when we are under pressure.
It puts experience in the bank.
Mentality is everything in sport and the players need to see keeping a clean sheet as a success.
It sounds obvious, but keeping a clean sheet means we only need to score one goal and that puts the opposition under pressure.
If they know it is difficult to score against us then they have to be very careful defensively. We hope the mental pressure causes a mistake we can pounce on with clinical finishing,we won't go there again, but it demonstrates the importance of drilling that home.
Drilling that "success" mindset is aided by games like this.
The forwards did their job, they punished the opposition, then we had a defensive training session.
What is better, to play Liverpool or Manchester City without practicing defensive stability in match situations or playing them having practiced in a game situation?
It isn't something you can just turn on and turn off.
You practice the basics on a training field, but you have to learn by doing too.
Remember Mourinho joined part way through the season, he didn't have a pre-season to work with the players, it generally takes a season to learn a new system to a high standard and all the work was halted during lockdown.
Mourinho has effectively had to start again and had half a pre-season.
Do you want to win trophies or not?
To start saying yes I want to win trophies but I only want to win in that style, under that manager, with those people in charge simply makes life even more difficult.
Why can't you anti people just let go for abit, understand business pays for football thus the business must be a success BEFORE the football.
Where does all this thin air money come from, you still insistent Spurs should illegally get money from an owner, get real people, get in the modern world.
And for all of you now talking Man City, that was about sponsorship deals and the key issue being whether the information obtained that proved their guilt was admissible as evidence.
Man City claimed it was not admissible and won that argument.
It is no different than a murderer's defence team claiming a vital piece of evidence is admissible because of the way in which it was obtained and winning that argument, thus facing lesser charges.
You see it on crime dramas all the time.
Man City have simply done the same thing.
I don't agree with it, but there it is.
Tottenham, will continue to operate in the right way,developing funds through the business and EVERY supporter should back that 100%.
When you have that guaranteed income you can then invest in the team BUT the foundation of the successful revenue generation MUST come first to win trophies REGULARLY, which is our stated aim.
To fail to understand that is to fail to understand football.
88.88% of domestic trophies have been won by clubs with more money than us, thus we need to generate more money.
We were, we built the stadium to generate more money and it was, but the pandemic has stopped that. Post pandemic we have to build it again so yes there will be a delay in growth but that isn't the owners fault, it isn't Daniel Levy's fault, it is circumstances brought about by the pandemic.
Football is back, Spurs are winning, Spurs are showing top 4 form and the complainers want to complain!
What does that tell you about them?
It tells you they are irrelevant, they have an anti-Spurs agenda, they only want things that suit their ego and show then to be right in their own minds, they care only about themselves, not about Spurs, that is a facade in their own minds.
Ignore them.
They bury their head in the sand over the realities of football TODAY, not 10 years ago in the sugar daddy era, they dismiss a Champions League final as if it is the easiest thing in the world to get to, indeed most have simply erased it from their memory as it doesn't fit their rhetoric.
Block them on social media and have more intelligent people on your timeline who support Spurs, not complain all the time, leave them to fester in their own pit of despair.
Right, we had better return to the glessons from our glorious victory.
Sorry, just thought of something else.
Why is it the anti crowd are "unconvinced" by Giovani Lo celso and the positive Spurs supporter are convinced?
Perhaps because it is they are watching two different games.
The anti side say he doesn't score enough goals, which suggests they think he is playing in an attacking midfield role, ala Christian Eriksen.
The positive Spurs supporter see Spurs playing him more in a Mousa Dembele role , in other words a link from defence to attack.
Different perceptions of what he is supposed to be doing and one of them is wrong, thus helps form wrong opinions because it suits the "complain" agenda.
Complain about a lack of investment.
The clubs invests, currently have the 2nd highest transfer bill in the Premier League (annual transfer instalment payments due to go out vs annual transfer instalment payments due to come in).
Complain about the investment.
Just one example that these people don't want success, they only want success on their terms and that isn't properly supporting a football club quite frankly.
Tottenham are improving, of that there is no doubt.
Yet one poor performance, despite having top 4 form while still learning a new system and it's call for a plane time!
Again, we want success but we want it on our terms thinking.
I'll give a shout out to Robbie Hughes from Twitter who differs from my view but is always polite and passionate in his arguments.
Don't expect a second article praising you guys or at least your passion, any time soon!
OK my second attempt to get back to the game!
It is incredible that winning 3-0 brings complains from the anti-ENIC anti-Levy agenda driven smattering.
Fortunately, few of the blight my life.
I'm afraid these people will always look for a negative, which, as you all know, is a failure trait, instead of looking for a positive, a success trait.
Would you ask a negative person how to solve a problem within your business?
No of course you wouldn't, they would be the last people you turn to, indeed when the opportunity arose you'd "let them go".
I watched the game with no sound at all so I'm not influenced by commentators. I haven't yet listened to after game interviews with players or managers, haven't watched Match of the Day or listened to anyone.
I most certainly haven't read what any journalist has got to say.
Now I haven't seen complaints on Twitter either as I didn't go on straight after the game and I have a bunch of anti-ENIC anti-Levy Twitter accounts blocked.
Successful people are not interested in associating with negative people, although I allow one or two polite people through from this group and yes I do converse with them occasionally.
I do see people complaining about people complaining so some people must be complaining!
We won 3-0 for goodness sake.
There are two routes when you are 3-0 up, go on and win 6-0 or shut up shop and defend what you have.
The José Mourinho method is to defend a lead and he has been very successful with this approach.
But supporters know better than a serial winner qualified in his trade!
There is an aspect here nobody seems to have considered, but as someone who has taken two coaching qualifications, this game presented us with a wonderful opportunity.
To win anything Spurs have to be defensively strong.
Now you can practice all you like on the training field against your own players, but against an opposition attacking force with different ideas it is a different matter.
What better opportunity to practice your defensive solidity in a real live match situation than to go 3-0 up against a team in the top 4?
It was an opportunity too good to miss.
It lays the groundwork for future games when we are under pressure.
It puts experience in the bank.
Mentality is everything in sport and the players need to see keeping a clean sheet as a success.
It sounds obvious, but keeping a clean sheet means we only need to score one goal and that puts the opposition under pressure.
If they know it is difficult to score against us then they have to be very careful defensively. We hope the mental pressure causes a mistake we can pounce on with clinical finishing,we won't go there again, but it demonstrates the importance of drilling that home.
Drilling that "success" mindset is aided by games like this.
The forwards did their job, they punished the opposition, then we had a defensive training session.
What is better, to play Liverpool or Manchester City without practicing defensive stability in match situations or playing them having practiced in a game situation?
It isn't something you can just turn on and turn off.
You practice the basics on a training field, but you have to learn by doing too.
Remember Mourinho joined part way through the season, he didn't have a pre-season to work with the players, it generally takes a season to learn a new system to a high standard and all the work was halted during lockdown.
Mourinho has effectively had to start again and had half a pre-season.
Do you want to win trophies or not?
To start saying yes I want to win trophies but I only want to win in that style, under that manager, with those people in charge simply makes life even more difficult.
Why can't you anti people just let go for abit, understand business pays for football thus the business must be a success BEFORE the football.
Where does all this thin air money come from, you still insistent Spurs should illegally get money from an owner, get real people, get in the modern world.
And for all of you now talking Man City, that was about sponsorship deals and the key issue being whether the information obtained that proved their guilt was admissible as evidence.
Man City claimed it was not admissible and won that argument.
It is no different than a murderer's defence team claiming a vital piece of evidence is admissible because of the way in which it was obtained and winning that argument, thus facing lesser charges.
You see it on crime dramas all the time.
Man City have simply done the same thing.
I don't agree with it, but there it is.
Tottenham, will continue to operate in the right way,developing funds through the business and EVERY supporter should back that 100%.
When you have that guaranteed income you can then invest in the team BUT the foundation of the successful revenue generation MUST come first to win trophies REGULARLY, which is our stated aim.
To fail to understand that is to fail to understand football.
88.88% of domestic trophies have been won by clubs with more money than us, thus we need to generate more money.
We were, we built the stadium to generate more money and it was, but the pandemic has stopped that. Post pandemic we have to build it again so yes there will be a delay in growth but that isn't the owners fault, it isn't Daniel Levy's fault, it is circumstances brought about by the pandemic.
Football is back, Spurs are winning, Spurs are showing top 4 form and the complainers want to complain!
What does that tell you about them?
It tells you they are irrelevant, they have an anti-Spurs agenda, they only want things that suit their ego and show then to be right in their own minds, they care only about themselves, not about Spurs, that is a facade in their own minds.
Ignore them.
They bury their head in the sand over the realities of football TODAY, not 10 years ago in the sugar daddy era, they dismiss a Champions League final as if it is the easiest thing in the world to get to, indeed most have simply erased it from their memory as it doesn't fit their rhetoric.
Block them on social media and have more intelligent people on your timeline who support Spurs, not complain all the time, leave them to fester in their own pit of despair.
Right, we had better return to the glessons from our glorious victory.
Sorry, just thought of something else.
Why is it the anti crowd are "unconvinced" by Giovani Lo celso and the positive Spurs supporter are convinced?
Perhaps because it is they are watching two different games.
The anti side say he doesn't score enough goals, which suggests they think he is playing in an attacking midfield role, ala Christian Eriksen.
The positive Spurs supporter see Spurs playing him more in a Mousa Dembele role , in other words a link from defence to attack.
Different perceptions of what he is supposed to be doing and one of them is wrong, thus helps form wrong opinions because it suits the "complain" agenda.
Complain about a lack of investment.
The clubs invests, currently have the 2nd highest transfer bill in the Premier League (annual transfer instalment payments due to go out vs annual transfer instalment payments due to come in).
Complain about the investment.
Just one example that these people don't want success, they only want success on their terms and that isn't properly supporting a football club quite frankly.
Tottenham are improving, of that there is no doubt.
Yet one poor performance, despite having top 4 form while still learning a new system and it's call for a plane time!
Again, we want success but we want it on our terms thinking.
I'll give a shout out to Robbie Hughes from Twitter who differs from my view but is always polite and passionate in his arguments.
Don't expect a second article praising you guys or at least your passion, any time soon!
OK my second attempt to get back to the game!
Spurs are happy for the opposition centre-backs to have the ball so by and large stand off them in our defensive shape.
The centre-back then pass sideways to try and pull us out of shape, they have a midfielder drop back for a wall pass.
A Spurs player follows the midfielder then has to decide whether to retain shape to follow the ball to close down the centre-back.
That changes the game, either the opposition can create a pass from new movement as a result of the midfielders movement or there is nothing on so they go back to their keeper.
If the ball is at the wrong end of the field they can't score and have to travel to maximum distance to do so.
We see the opposition do this to us, Davinson Sanchez plays the ball back to Hugo Lloris a lot.
The centre-back then pass sideways to try and pull us out of shape, they have a midfielder drop back for a wall pass.
A Spurs player follows the midfielder then has to decide whether to retain shape to follow the ball to close down the centre-back.
That changes the game, either the opposition can create a pass from new movement as a result of the midfielders movement or there is nothing on so they go back to their keeper.
If the ball is at the wrong end of the field they can't score and have to travel to maximum distance to do so.
We see the opposition do this to us, Davinson Sanchez plays the ball back to Hugo Lloris a lot.
Harry Kane plays his role, he has to work hard, but in these situation he trots back and forth across the pitch cutting off an easy central ball.
We therefore have two players stopping the centre-backs from starting play.
We therefore have two players stopping the centre-backs from starting play.
If the ball goes wide a wide man may quickly close down the receiver, forcing them to play back to the centre-back and them immediately and quickly drop off to take our defensive shape again.
Our midfield have a high workrate, thus we are going to need personnel on the bench.
Journalists will tell you Erik Lamela and Lucas Moura are being offered to clubs, simply because that is who they would sell, but Mourinho likes them and doesn't want to sell them at all.
They will remain. When you add Son Heung-min and Steven Bergwijn we have our wide areas sorted, although adding one who can play either side helps us cover for injuries.
Our defensive work off the ball was excellent, we were very energetic closing Leicester City down, hence needing plenty of cover centrally.
Again the silly report that Harry Winks could be sold to make way for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg was from a journalist who either doesn't understand football or was writing an article for advertising clicks.
Harry Winks isn't going anywhere.
We sold Victor Wanyama who has not been replaced yet so other reports that Sissoko might be sold are also rubbish.
Serge Aurier, while still making mistakes is one who has been playing for his place, but I again think he'll be going nowhere.
Our defenders are returning to being defenders, wingers are taking on the role our full-backs previously had.
Unless we want to save money on the wage bill, I now think we will only sign one right-back with my money firmly on Timothy Castagne from Atalanta.
It does make financial sense to move Aurier on and bring in two new right-backs though.
It does make financial sense to move Aurier on and bring in two new right-backs though.
We have been showing top four form, yet a section have been calling for all change, that's the last thing we need right now.
It always takes time to learn a system and even the anti-crowd must be able to see we are starting to grasp what Mourinho wants.
Next season is a promising one.
A promising aspect of our back four play was the speed at which we passed the ball. For the most part we were not just rolling the ball to another player, we were firmly passing it giving him maximum time on the ball,maximum opportunity to see a forward pass.
How many years have I| been talking about this and finally we have a coach doing something about it. Only Ben Davies on an occasional pass resorted to the old way from what I saw when looking for this.
The Kaisen approach, small incremental improvements add up, like Viv O'Connor buying Mrs O some flowers, you see training (nagging) does work, which reminds me, I have forgotten you culinary tip.
It'll have to wait for another day.
He has made a start and he is cooking dinner tonight as well so he must have some good points.
But fellas, why not buy your wife an orchid to tend and if you have a daughter, buy her one too so they can tend them together weekly.
You only water them once a week I believe and what better way to help bonding and increase a love of nature and kindness.
Your daughter can them go shopping with you on anniversaries, birthdays, christmas, New Year, easter, valentines day and dog house days (unless you are enjoying the silence of course) and give you advice on which flowers and colours Mummy like, because let's face it, you don't know do you!
OK folks, I have been asked about right-back again and centre-back but I'll concentrate on right-back for this post as there are permutations to take into account.
Catch Up With Recent THBN Posts
A promising aspect of our back four play was the speed at which we passed the ball. For the most part we were not just rolling the ball to another player, we were firmly passing it giving him maximum time on the ball,maximum opportunity to see a forward pass.
How many years have I| been talking about this and finally we have a coach doing something about it. Only Ben Davies on an occasional pass resorted to the old way from what I saw when looking for this.
The Kaisen approach, small incremental improvements add up, like Viv O'Connor buying Mrs O some flowers, you see training (nagging) does work, which reminds me, I have forgotten you culinary tip.
It'll have to wait for another day.
He has made a start and he is cooking dinner tonight as well so he must have some good points.
But fellas, why not buy your wife an orchid to tend and if you have a daughter, buy her one too so they can tend them together weekly.
You only water them once a week I believe and what better way to help bonding and increase a love of nature and kindness.
Your daughter can them go shopping with you on anniversaries, birthdays, christmas, New Year, easter, valentines day and dog house days (unless you are enjoying the silence of course) and give you advice on which flowers and colours Mummy like, because let's face it, you don't know do you!
OK folks, I have been asked about right-back again and centre-back but I'll concentrate on right-back for this post as there are permutations to take into account.
The trouble when you start to discuss this is that people keep throwing different names, their personal favourite I guess, and you end up with more of a comparison article than the article idea you originally started with.
I did a comparison article on right-backs and I did a comparison article on Timothy Castange vs Max Aarons too.
You all know I pinned my colours to the Jeremy Ngakis and Timothy Castagne masts but a fuller explanation might help.
Current Wages
Current Wages
Jeremy Ngakia - £10,000
Timothy Castagne - £9,000
Max Aarons - £5,000
Serge Aurier - £70,000
Kyle Walker-Peters - £20,000
Yousef Atal - £52,482
Contract Situation
Contract Situation
Jeremy Ngakia - Out of contract
Timothy Castagne - 1 year left, contract until 2021
Max Aarons - 4 years left, contract until 2024
Serge Aurier - 2 years left, contract until 2022
Kyle Walker-Peters - 3 years left, contract until 2023
Yousef Atal - 3 years left, contract until 2023
Remember the length of the contract is a determining factor in how much a player is worth. The less time left on a contract, the lower the players transfer value becomes.
Players take signing-on fee and a player out of contract can command a higher bonus because there is no transfer fee and higher wages.
Jeremy Ngakia has been offered first team football and 20,000-a-week by two Bundesliga sides.
Age
Remember the length of the contract is a determining factor in how much a player is worth. The less time left on a contract, the lower the players transfer value becomes.
Players take signing-on fee and a player out of contract can command a higher bonus because there is no transfer fee and higher wages.
Jeremy Ngakia has been offered first team football and 20,000-a-week by two Bundesliga sides.
Age
Jeremy Ngakia - 19 (September)
Timothy Castagne - 24 (December)
Max Aarons - 20 (January)
Serge Aurier - 27 (December)
Kyle Walker-Peters - 23 (April)
Yousef Atal - 24 (May)
Height
Height
Jeremy Ngakia - 6' 3"
Timothy Castagne - 6' 1"
Max Aarons - 5' 10"
Serge Aurier - 5' 9"
Kyle Walker-Peters - 5' 8"
Yousef Atal - 5' 10"
Kyle Walker-Peters wants to play football, he simply hasn't played enough at Spurs he feels.
Mourinho feels he could improve him and improve his weak area, attack. He is no longer a youth prospect, he is 23 but he is short.
He is playing well for Southampton and it is no secret both clubs are keen to see Kyle Walker-Peters go one way and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg to go the other way.
Throwing two players into a transfer sage complicates matters rather than eases them as both clubs have different valuations for each player, four parts to fit instead of two.
Max Aarons has made positive statements about Spurs stadium and how it is great to play in. He knows of our interest and he is interested in Spurs
Norwich have indicated he could be sold for £20m.
The issue surrounding him is José Mourinho and whether he is as keen on him as Tottenham have been.
Castagne vs Aarons Comparison
Perhaps the issue for the board is that Castagne might prove a cheaper option but Aarons knows of our interest, is keen on Spurs despite being a Chelsea fan and is on low wages so we could perhaps start him on the same £30,000 mark as Castagne.
He is homegrown and younger too, although 3" shorter.
Is he worth double the transfer fee of Castagne though?
Yes sorry but financials play a part in who you sign, we have to walk a financial tightrope and eke out every pound at the moment.
If we are roughly £2.5m away from Kim Min-jae, then pay double for Aarons we have suddenly spent £12.5m that could be used to buy a player in the last year of his contract.
That money could go towards buying someone like QPR attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.
Right:
1. Does Serge Aurier stay?
2. If so, how many right-backs do you sign?
3. One would have to be of sufficient quality and one a player to develop.
4. Will Kyle Walker-Peters definitely leave?
5. Until KWP leaves,we can't bring anyone in.
6. We have to keep in mind we are only allowed 17 non-homegrown players over the age on 21 on Jan 1st this year in our 25 man Premier League squad.
7. What is the best option to get the best out of the wages budget?
8. It goes without saying, who is the best for José Mourinho's requirements.
You look at the names mentioned and Yousef Atal rules himself out almost immediately. He has everything going against him.
He is OK in the height and age departments, but his contract is too long, thus his transfer fee is at it's highest (not what we want) and he is on the highest wage so signing him might impact adversely on other possible signings and what we can offer in terms of transfer fee and wages.
I'd rule him out.
Kyle Walker-Peters also has three years left on his contract so his market value is at it's highest and we can command the maximum transfer fee for him.
I'd expect to sell him and pay no more than an additional £10m for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, that would be my negotiating stance.
Personally, I'd be cashing in on Aurier too. Two years left on his contract, we do not want to be in a situation where he only has a year left next summer and is therefore at a low value.
I would, therefore, either tie him to a new extended deal or sell him and bring in two new right-backs.
Now I don't know a lot about Jeremy Ngakia, but he has the height, would command £20,000 wages (same as Kyle Walker-Peters currently) and obviously has potential.
He does however now have two offers of a quick route to regular first team football in Germany and guarantee of £20,000-a-week so I suspect he might now choose that option, but we'll wait and see.
It depends, perhaps, on family ties and whether he wants to stay in this country near his family.
If so Spurs and Watford both offer that. The question is who provides the most opportunity for regular first team football and career development?
Now, many of you will be saying buy Timothy Castagne and Max Aarons and from a footballing point of view that has plenty going for it.
Max Aarons and Jeremy Ngakia would also have the benefit of both being homegrown, Castange would not.
Looking at this from a financial perspective (sorry but we must) we need to add together the two transfer fees and wages to see what it would cost us to sort the right-back role.
Wages would be £60,000 for the two and transfer fees of at least £30m.
OK, now we have to add in the cost of buying a centre-back, Højbjerg and a striker.
Now take the situation of Zenit striker, Artem Dzyuba. He knows of our interest and if his first choice is to sign for Tottenham then he has to wait to see if we can obtain our first choice.
We are priced out of Osimhen and Milik wants Juventus so he will wait to see if a deal can be struck with Napoli for him.
That means Spurs have got to wait to see the outcome of that.
You see how signing a player can come late in a window, to a) lower the price to an affordable level or b) to wait on the outcome of other deals.
I have heard that Dzyuba might sign a new contract at Zenit.
How long do you wait if you are in his shoes?
How long do Zenit wait to buy a replacement and will that replacement wait to see the outcome of whether Dzyuba signs or not and if he does has he then scuppers the chances of moving to another club?
How long do Spurs wait to make a decision or should we just sign the Russian when the window opens?
Does Dzyuba have other options, you can be sure he does so what is his priority order, that adds in another set of complications.
Remember my article about cogs and there being so many cogs that have to align before everything fits into place to sign a player.
Well, that's just one striker, now amplify that for the right-back situation at Spurs.
One out?
Two out?
One in?
Two In?
Number of candidates?
Number of options each candidate has?
Buying situation of the selling clubs and the whole set of options once again and so on down the chain.
As with mortgages and house buying, sometimes you think you have everything lined up and someone pulls out further down the chain and it collapses the whole lot, every house purchase goes on hold ehile a new chain is developed.
It can take years to sell a house.
Back to transfers.
Dzyuba £0m transfer fee - signing on fee, agents fees + £60,000 wages
Kim Min-jae £15m transfer fee - signing on fee, agents fees + £70,000 wages (he is on £57,000 now)
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg £20m transfer fee,signing on fee, agents fees + £60,000 wages (he is on £50,000 now)
He is playing well for Southampton and it is no secret both clubs are keen to see Kyle Walker-Peters go one way and Pierre-Emile Højbjerg to go the other way.
Throwing two players into a transfer sage complicates matters rather than eases them as both clubs have different valuations for each player, four parts to fit instead of two.
Max Aarons has made positive statements about Spurs stadium and how it is great to play in. He knows of our interest and he is interested in Spurs
Norwich have indicated he could be sold for £20m.
The issue surrounding him is José Mourinho and whether he is as keen on him as Tottenham have been.
Castagne vs Aarons Comparison
Perhaps the issue for the board is that Castagne might prove a cheaper option but Aarons knows of our interest, is keen on Spurs despite being a Chelsea fan and is on low wages so we could perhaps start him on the same £30,000 mark as Castagne.
He is homegrown and younger too, although 3" shorter.
Is he worth double the transfer fee of Castagne though?
Yes sorry but financials play a part in who you sign, we have to walk a financial tightrope and eke out every pound at the moment.
If we are roughly £2.5m away from Kim Min-jae, then pay double for Aarons we have suddenly spent £12.5m that could be used to buy a player in the last year of his contract.
That money could go towards buying someone like QPR attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze.
Right:
1. Does Serge Aurier stay?
2. If so, how many right-backs do you sign?
3. One would have to be of sufficient quality and one a player to develop.
4. Will Kyle Walker-Peters definitely leave?
5. Until KWP leaves,we can't bring anyone in.
6. We have to keep in mind we are only allowed 17 non-homegrown players over the age on 21 on Jan 1st this year in our 25 man Premier League squad.
7. What is the best option to get the best out of the wages budget?
8. It goes without saying, who is the best for José Mourinho's requirements.
You look at the names mentioned and Yousef Atal rules himself out almost immediately. He has everything going against him.
He is OK in the height and age departments, but his contract is too long, thus his transfer fee is at it's highest (not what we want) and he is on the highest wage so signing him might impact adversely on other possible signings and what we can offer in terms of transfer fee and wages.
I'd rule him out.
Kyle Walker-Peters also has three years left on his contract so his market value is at it's highest and we can command the maximum transfer fee for him.
I'd expect to sell him and pay no more than an additional £10m for Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, that would be my negotiating stance.
Personally, I'd be cashing in on Aurier too. Two years left on his contract, we do not want to be in a situation where he only has a year left next summer and is therefore at a low value.
I would, therefore, either tie him to a new extended deal or sell him and bring in two new right-backs.
Now I don't know a lot about Jeremy Ngakia, but he has the height, would command £20,000 wages (same as Kyle Walker-Peters currently) and obviously has potential.
He does however now have two offers of a quick route to regular first team football in Germany and guarantee of £20,000-a-week so I suspect he might now choose that option, but we'll wait and see.
It depends, perhaps, on family ties and whether he wants to stay in this country near his family.
If so Spurs and Watford both offer that. The question is who provides the most opportunity for regular first team football and career development?
Now, many of you will be saying buy Timothy Castagne and Max Aarons and from a footballing point of view that has plenty going for it.
Max Aarons and Jeremy Ngakia would also have the benefit of both being homegrown, Castange would not.
Looking at this from a financial perspective (sorry but we must) we need to add together the two transfer fees and wages to see what it would cost us to sort the right-back role.
Wages would be £60,000 for the two and transfer fees of at least £30m.
OK, now we have to add in the cost of buying a centre-back, Højbjerg and a striker.
Now take the situation of Zenit striker, Artem Dzyuba. He knows of our interest and if his first choice is to sign for Tottenham then he has to wait to see if we can obtain our first choice.
We are priced out of Osimhen and Milik wants Juventus so he will wait to see if a deal can be struck with Napoli for him.
That means Spurs have got to wait to see the outcome of that.
You see how signing a player can come late in a window, to a) lower the price to an affordable level or b) to wait on the outcome of other deals.
I have heard that Dzyuba might sign a new contract at Zenit.
How long do you wait if you are in his shoes?
How long do Zenit wait to buy a replacement and will that replacement wait to see the outcome of whether Dzyuba signs or not and if he does has he then scuppers the chances of moving to another club?
How long do Spurs wait to make a decision or should we just sign the Russian when the window opens?
Does Dzyuba have other options, you can be sure he does so what is his priority order, that adds in another set of complications.
Remember my article about cogs and there being so many cogs that have to align before everything fits into place to sign a player.
Well, that's just one striker, now amplify that for the right-back situation at Spurs.
One out?
Two out?
One in?
Two In?
Number of candidates?
Number of options each candidate has?
Buying situation of the selling clubs and the whole set of options once again and so on down the chain.
As with mortgages and house buying, sometimes you think you have everything lined up and someone pulls out further down the chain and it collapses the whole lot, every house purchase goes on hold ehile a new chain is developed.
It can take years to sell a house.
Back to transfers.
Dzyuba £0m transfer fee - signing on fee, agents fees + £60,000 wages
Kim Min-jae £15m transfer fee - signing on fee, agents fees + £70,000 wages (he is on £57,000 now)
Pierre-Emile Højbjerg £20m transfer fee,signing on fee, agents fees + £60,000 wages (he is on £50,000 now)
If we take off £0m for Kyle Walker-Peters that leaves us with an expenditure of £25m + signing on fees + agents fees approximately £170,000-a-week in wages (taking Walker-Peters £20k off).
How much have we made in wages savings and how much have we raised in transfer fees selling players?
Michel Vorm £20,000 wages
Jan Vertonghen £100,000 wages
Kyle Walker-Peters figures already taken off
Danny Rose £60,000 wages
Luke Amos £1,040 wages
Cameron Carter-Vickers £1,040 wages
Jan Foyth £21,500 wages
Total Saving £203,580
Those sales would cover the wage increase not including right backs.
It gives us a surplus of £30,000 the wages cost of a right-back.
What transfer fee can we expect for Rose?
£10m with a year on his contract, perhaps £15m for Foyth so that might allow us enough funds to buy Aarons and Castagne or one of them is Aurier is retained or one of them and Ngakia.
All of this is before we add in any other signings like Fraser.
Right, I have given you a lot to ponder so you can work out your preferred option as our next manager balancing the financials with the playing requirements to arrive at your own solutions that don't bankrupt the club.
Evening folks, don't forget to share, retweet and everything else on social media and for those of you I see on Twitter, happy to hear your comments and have a chat.
PS - 4,008 words, 21,985 characters.
PS - 4,008 words, 21,985 characters.
COYS
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