Transfer Rumours transfer thread fact and fiction

Release clause sounds far too low to be true. Also Levy isn't a fan of them whatsoever and vastly prefers to allow good old fashioned bidding wars to ensure we get top dollar for players who leave.

It is a slight concern that Toby is basically the only member of the first XI who hasnt committed to a new contract, but at the same time he comes across as being immensely happy at the club and is besties with Jan Vertonghen too.

My take on it is that he is waiting until the summer to open negotiations. If we have finished 2nd (or higher) and (maybe) have a trophy to show for our efforts (FAC or league), his haggling position becomes infinitely stronger and salary will probably be higher.

 

Spurs player + release clause + Levy =

 

Apparently that release clause is for 2019 and is only available over a 2 week period.
The story comes from an Italian journalist who also thinks that inter Milan are in for walker and alderwiereld, too.
Italian journalist? Italian manager on the verge of winning the premier league? Sounds to me like a deliberate plan to cause disruption at a vital time of the season, as well as being obvious clickbait.

 

"Release clause" .

As if Levy would ever insert a release clause when he knows he can rape a side out of their finances.

 

Tottenham have no intention of selling Eric Dier, according to Sky sources.

The versatile England international has been linked with a £40m move to Manchester United in the last 24 hours in some newspapers.

There have been reports suggesting the 23-year-old wants to play in midfield long-term but fears his path to playing there at Spurs is blocked under manager Mauricio Pochettino.

However, it is understood though that the former Sporting Lisbon and Benfica player will not be leaving White Hart Lane.

Looks like somebody at Sky Sports will be losing their job for bringing the Narrative into disrepute.

 

Don't have good interviewer audio quality yet (will post when I have
one) , but 5 mins in and Pochettino has thwarted yet another hack on Toby.

Only one plank-ton attempt this week (is it coincidence that they
always seem to be the first question ?? ) .

 

So while most of the headlines are intent on dismantling our team, there is one headline that did catch my eye: we're looking to bring in Douglas Costa from Bayern.

On the face of it I'd hand-wave this away as paper talk, if not for one thing: Bayern chairman Uli Hoeness has recently slagged him off to the German press for attempting to get an improved contract, and it's worth remembering that around this time last year Hoeness was slagging off Mario Gotze to the press, and Gotze left Bayern in the summer. Using this as a guide, this means it's not outside the realms of possibility, albeit with a potential £30m fee attached to it.

It's certainly worth pointing out that, like Mkhitaryan before him, Costa moved from Shakhtar to the Bundesliga and there wasn't a drop in his performance - his goalscoring remained consistent, while if anything he's getting far more assists at Bayern than he was at Shakhtar. It's also worth pointing out that Costa is left-footed and Bayern usually play him on the left side of the attacking trio, so if Hoeness continues being as stubborn as a maultier we could (in theory...) have a signing that allows us to be more flexible with our formation and allow us to switch between 352 and 4231 whenever Poch feels we need to.

 

Big If though. Wouldn't surprise me if Man Utd and Man City both went in for Costa D at the last minute just because someone else has. Both clubs love signing attacking players and don't go for under the radar signings. It seems the extent of their scouting is to see how many clubs are interested in/trying to sign every player and then just plumb for the one that has the most interest regardless of whether they need them or not.

 

So are you having a garage sale in the summer with Levy on the till?

 

More bitter than a scouser

 

Why not send Maureen along and find out for yourself?

 

More De Beers than garage sale.

 

Stating facts makes people "bitter" now?

 

Three departures this week.

Kyle Walker is off to Citeh as part of a £250m spending spree. Wasn't it Danny Rose a couple of weeks ago? And both of them a few weeks before that? I do wish they'd make up their minds.

A new one concerns Christian Eriksen's departure. He's to be whisked off to Barcelona by Michael Laudrup. I guess it allows the Danes to publish a story involving two of their best ever players. There's some acknowledgement of a contract thingy but you know with Daniel Levy?

The Telegraph are still ploughing the Eric Dier to United furrow.

Still, that leaves us with a few players. For now......

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Barcelona were interested in Eriksen, but he's really not what they need.
They produce tons of players in a similar mould and they've already got quality playmakers on their books.
Their defence lacks depth and they could do with a real midfield destroyer, as they don't seem to have that option.

 

Sissoko?
He's a destroyer - of careers

 

According to the Standard, the merry-go-round has come back to Kyle Walker, as they're reporting he sought a meeting with Poch to discuss the club's plans for the future...plans that were no doubt discussed back in September when he signed a long-term contract extension.

Do they get a kickback from all the clickbait merchants that have tried to twist this non-story into conclusive proof that Walker's headed for whichever Manc club's kit matches his trainers?

 

In the same story they claim that Rose told them in January that he wants to look at his option as does Toby.

They did concede though that £60m would be need to buy Walker OR Rose NOT BOTH!

Nice of them to sort our prices out I thought!