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What do these Spurs transfer sagas suggest about Daniel Levy’s impact? – part 1

grvadmin

Tue 5 July 2016 18:30, UK

It’s a question that seems to be on the lips of just about every Spurs fan, during every transfer window: are Daniel Levy’s brutish negotiation tactics helping or hindering Spurs’ progress as a team?

The chairman of the club is famous for demanding the very best prices for Spurs players, as well as trying to get new players in for the cheapest possible price – a recent example being Vincent Janssen’s ongoing negotiations, where Levy refused to pay an extra 1.5 million Euros to AZ Alkmaar in order to get the deal done.

It is at the point where Spurs are renowned for being a difficult club to deal with transfer wise – but has this been to their advantage?

This is the first of a series of articles, which will provide an overview into what Levy has got right, and wrong, and will provide the backbone for reasonable debate over whether Levy’s tenure as Spurs chairman has been a successful one.

At times, Levy has undoubtedly got it very, very right. The transfer of Gareth Bale; which concluded in September 2013, is a prime example of this, even if the resulting money was somewhat wasted. By holding out until Real met his £85 million valuation, he ensured that Spurs benefited far more from the sale of the superstar than they otherwise would have done, and Levy must be commended for this.

Furthermore, the contract negotiated is one that might just see Bale end up back at the Lane sometime in the future – Spurs have first refusal on the Welsh forward if Real Madrid wish to sell before September 2019. This is, in itself, a masterstroke on Levy’s behalf; but even more so given the stadium developments. To contextualise the information, if Madrid want to sell Gareth Bale in the next few seasons, Spurs could buy him back during or immediately after their first campaign at their new stadium, when the club’s financial situation will be clearer. If Pochettino’s plan for the squad is successful, then Bale could well be returning to one of the best clubs in Europe, as well as a real powerhouse in the domestic game.

Perhaps Levy must also be given further credit for this, as it prevents other English clubs; such as Manchester United, from having a clear attempt at negotiations. To put is simply, for Bale to move to somewhere like Old Trafford, not only would they have to meet his wage demands and agree a fee for the Welshman with Madrid, but Spurs would also have to reject the opportunity to sign him back. Clearly, this is one of Levy’s masterstrokes and he must be applauded for this.

However, one of the reasons Levy is ultimately so divisive is that by demanding the best prices, Spurs often have to wait until late in the window to get their business done. As mentioned above, a prime example of this is Janssen’s transfer that now; after what feels like weeks of negotiations with several other clubs announcing their interest, finally looks close to completion.

Spurs reportedly bid 16.5 million Euros for the Dutchman, yet Alkmaar have point-blank refused to let him go for less than their 18 million Euro valuation – much to the striker’s annoyance. 1.5 million Euros is essentially spare change now to big clubs, so it is a wonder that even Levy has refused to budge over this figure, even more so when other clubs have involved themselves in a potential deal. Janssen has reportedly turned down offers from PSG and West Ham, and interest from Wolfsburg, to secure his move to White Hart Lane. This makes him already a rare breed of player, to turn down a bigger wage and guaranteed trophies (albeit not playing time) in France.

Ignoring this though, Levy has cost Spurs here. The transfer of Janssen could be done and dusted by now, with the Dutchman settling in for the start of pre-season, and yet he remains; for now, an Alkmaar player. From a Spurs prospective, this could prove to be fairly costly. Having a striker settle as soon as possible is imperative to their success, as the unfortunate case of Roberto Soldado proves, and so Levy has failed in that regard.

As with anybody, it is important to take a broad approach when judging how successful they are, and such a judgement therefore cannot be made on the basis of two transfers. In the next few articles in the series, many more of Levy’s transfer negotiations will be studied, and only then will a judgement be made.

Let us know your thoughts on Daniel Levy’s transfer policy, with particular reference to the Gareth Bale incident, and the one unravelling as we speak involving Vincent Janssen.