Former Manchester United chief David Gill claims Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is “a nightmare”

Former Manchester United chief David Gill says the situation surrounding Dimitar Berbatov’s £30million move to Old Trafford in 2009 highlighted the flaws in Daniel Levy’s approach to the transfer market. 

Gill, a Football Association board-member, says the Spurs chairman let the deal drag on through almost the entire window, despite the Manchester club placing a bid in early June.

“I don’t know (why Spurs do it so late). It is very difficult,” Gill told Manchester Evening News.

“With Tottenham, I’m not speaking out of turn, and Daniel Levy, he would like to do that.”

Gill continued to say: “In 2008, when we won the Champions League, we decided that we couldn’t rely on Tevez, Rooney and Ronaldo to score all the goals so went for another forward and that was Berbatov.

“I spoke to Daniel Levy in June that year, made an offer, and it went on for the whole summer. It was a nightmare.”

Levy, who is currently in the process of delivering a new stadium to the North London side, has been known to keep deals going beyond their necessity, and Gill says this prevented him from finding an effective replacement for the Bulgarian striker.

Gill said: “In the end I felt it affected Spurs because we did the deal in the end, at midnight on deadline day, so Tottenham couldn’t get a replacement in. The way the deal got done was that Daniel needed a striker and asked about Fraizer Campbell.

“So Alex (Ferguson) had to phone up Fraizer and say ‘by the way Fraizer, do me a favour, you’re going to Tottenham now’. And that’s how it happened.”

Levy’s Tottenham face FK Qarabag in the return of the UEFA Europa League this evening at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham Hotspur’s move for Yannick Bolasie: has it fallen through?

In yet another transfer window filled with every piece of speculation under the sun, it seems another Spurs-linked player has confirmed that he will not be joining the club this summer.

Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie has been linked with a move to White Hart Lane for most of the summer, and back in June favourited my tweet linking him to Spurs.

But now it seems that the player has confirmed over social media that his future remains at Selhurst Park. However, if a similar tweet by Mousa Dembélé is anything to go by, could it suggest that a deal fell through?

Just two days after Benjamin Stambouli completed a move to Paris Saint-Germain, the Belgian midfielder tweeted a rare picture expressing his excitement for the upcoming season.

Dembélé, who is typically quiet on Twitter, appeared to confirm that he would not leave White Hart Lane but only after midfield competition in the form of Stambouli, Holtby, Capoue and Paulinho had sealed moves away.

Similarly, Bolasie is fairly discreet on social media, and this afternoon tweeted expressing his own excitement for the upcoming campaign. This leads many to speculate the timing of his tweet. Had no deal been in existence, why not declare enthusiasm for the season earlier?

Yesterday it was reported that Crystal Palace are determined to fight off interest in the winger. With the season beginning in just four days, has Daniel Levy failed in a move to sign Bolasie?

Tottenham Hotspur receive £11million towards transfer spending

London Evening Standard report Tottenham Hotspur have received £11million after completing the sale of Brook House primary school, on High Road Tottenham.

The club has reportedly sold the site to Legal and General Property, and will receive over £10million as a result.

The Evening Standard understand Daniel Levy will put the profits from the sale towards Mauricio Pochettino’s summer spending, which will merely add to the healthy fees collected for the likes of Paulinho and Etienne Capoue.

With reports today claiming that Fernando Llorente is a target of the club (and is rated at £11million coincidentally), could Daniel Levy be set to spend this sum on the Spaniard?

Tottenham Hotspur to miss out on star midfielder to former manager Andre Villas-Boas

France Football report former Spurs target Joao Moutinho is to leave AS Monaco this summer, as the club are to relieve players due to ‘financial difficulty’.

Immediately, many sources directed focus towards Tottenham, who agreed a club-record fee for the midfielder back in 2013 under Andre Villas-Boas.

France Football believe that Moutinho could rejoin Villas-Boas at current club, Zenit St Petersburg. The French source understand Moutinho currently receives €4million in wages, which the Russian giants are reportedly able to provide.

With a new stadium on the way, Spurs are unable to compete financially with some of the large clubs in Europe. Most crucially, Moutinho was an AVB target, and therefore any ‘interest’ from the London club that is reported is largely to be fiction.

With the likes of Paulinho, Holtby and Capoue leaving the club’s central midfield thin, Spurs are in need of reinforcements in that position. However with Levy outlining that the club will target young players in the region of £10-15million, the Joao Moutinho fantasy may finally be put to bed.

Tottenham Hotspur offer Fernando Llorente ‘huge wages’ to join club

Tuttosport understand Tottenham Hotspur have offered Juventus striker Fernando Llorente ‘lucrative wages’ to join the club this summer.

The story was picked up by several UK media outlets, which state that Spurs have offered £11million to sign the Spanish striker from the Italian giants.

The striker is thought to favour a move to North London, and it was reported last week that he has chosen Mauricio Pochettino’s side ahead of Liverpool and Arsenal.

Given that the story was first picked up by Metro (the Tuttosport of England), both sources lack credibility on the matter. However, Spurs blogger Raj Bains has written a stunning piece on why the forward is suited to Spurs, adding weight to reports that he could find form at White Hart Lane.

Whether these reports are merely Leandro Damiao part two, we will never know for sure. Although the persistence of many sources to link the forward to the club could suggest that Daniel Levy is on the market for Harry Kane’s partner in crime this summer.

Harry Redknapp reveals details about Tottenham sacking

Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has told Sky Sports’ Fantasy Football Club that he believed he was to be the new England boss whilst at Spurs.

Interviewed last Friday on the show, Redknapp told them: “even Daniel Levy thought for sure I was going to be getting the job.

“First I knew that I didn’t have it, we (Tottenham) were playing at home on the Sunday, we’d won 3-0, I’m sure Gareth Bale ran a muck as usual.

“I was in the car and suddenly it came on the radio that Roy Hodgson had been announced as the England manager.”

Redknapp continued to say that he would have taken the job, despite having been at Tottenham.

The former QPR boss told Sky: “it would have been hard to turn it down. When your country offers you the job how can you say no. It would have been impossible.” 

However, the ex-Spurs boss said he could have seen himself staying at the North London club for many years: “I could see myself staying there (Tottenham) for a fair time. They were talking then at the time about offering me a new 3-4 year contract.”

Enjoying much success during his time at Spurs, Redknapp continued to reveal details about why Daniel Levy chose to sack him from the role he had occupied for 4 years.

Redknapp said: “I don’t think Daniel had a reason (for sacking him). I think they always felt they wanted to go down the road of having a director of football. 

“They brought in AVB or whatever it is, Villas-Boas. I should have called myself HJR really it would have made me sound more clever. 

“Anyway AVB came in, they brought in Baldini to buy the players and that’s how they saw the club going. That’s what Daniel wanted to do.” 

 

Tottenham set to announce new member of staff

Tottenham are set to appoint Bournemouth head of recruitment David Webb to their backroom staff, according to Goal. 

With reports today suggesting that technical director Franco Baldini is set to leave the club, it comes as no surprise that Spurs are boosting their backroom staff.

Webb is credited with unearthing Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, a dynamic attacker that has taken the Premier League by storm, despite a quiet spell at Manchester United.

Webb himself has worked for Spurs before, having adopted the role of academy coach and scout between 2005 and 2007.

The Bournemouth scout would join the increasingly exciting backroom staff at the club, with Paul Mitchell (yes they would be ‘Mitchell and Webb’) joining last summer from Southampton.

It is clear that Mauricio Pochettino has the full support of Daniel Levy, with the pair seemingly in agreement over the transfer policies of the club going forward (with these appointments in tribute to that).

According to Goal, Webb will be responsible primarily for identifying ‘elite’ targets between the age of 14 and 21.

With Webb joining as Mitchell’s number two, it seems we are in for an exciting summer at Tottenham Hotspur. With the club set for a mass overhaul, their policy of signing young replacement players between £10-15million could fit Webb’s profile.

Video: Emmanuel Adebayor takes part in Tottenham training amidst exit rumours

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor took to Twitter this week to announce that he was staying at the club for the foreseeable future.

The Togo international has been the subject of much speculation this year, as it was rumoured that Daniel Levy would buy him out of his contract this summer.

Contrary to reports, I am very happy at Tottenham and will do everything to fight for my place. I have a year to go on my …/ctd

— Emmanuel Adebayor (@E_Adebayor) April 7, 2015

…contract and love playing in the EPL, best league in world! #COYS

— Emmanuel Adebayor (@E_Adebayor) April 7, 2015

As Adebayor suggested it seems from a new video on SpursTV, that he still remains a part of Mauricio Pochettino’s ideas.

Despite focus on Ryan Mason, the new YouTube clip featured much of Adebayor, who was eager to make as many tackles as possible in the short video.

Watch Emmanuel Adebayor take part in Tottenham training here: 

 

Tottenham to sign more Eric Dier’s

With news coming out this week that Daniel Levy is set to change his transfer policy, it seems there has been a mixed reaction to the future of the club.

According to the Mail, “Daniel Levy reportedly told the Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust that after the problems reinvesting the money received for Gareth Bale, future transfer policy would entail the purchase of young players, priced between £10-15million with good potential for resale.”

Despite this policy carrying obvious financial benefits (including aid for the new stadium build), some Spurs fans have reacted negatively to the news, suggesting that this policy has always been the ambition of Levy.

Former Tottenham director of football, Damien Comolli has backed the move, suggesting that it will allow the club to get ‘back on track’.

What is clear by the new parameters of Levy’s policy is that the club has a clearly defined target moving forward, with a new stadium also on its way.

Combined with Mauricio Pochettino’s philosophy of implementing youth into his squad, it seems Levy has found his perfect money-saving match.

Despite reports saying that Levy will target players between £10-15million, the Tottenham chairman was able to test the water with his new theory last summer, as was shown with the signature of Eric Dier.

Critics of Dier will comment that his inexperience has faulted him so far in his Spurs career, although the youngster’s persistent role in the team says otherwise.

Dier is slowly gaining experience next to Vertonghen, and has clearly shown his worth with some tremendous defending.

The £4million signing of Dier from Sporting Lisbon was a real coup for the club. Signing an England Under-21 regular with European experience for so little is a strong find, something Baldini must be praised for.

So Spurs fans, you’ll have to get used to signings of this price-tag, and ignore unlikely rumours like the one below.

Tottenham are set to complete a £10million move for Juventus striker Fernando Llorente. #THFC (Source: Sportmediaset) pic.twitter.com/2lvCCNKGRB

— Talking THFC (@TalkingTHFC) April 8, 2015