Isco move would change Daniel Levy’s Tottenham legacy
Isco could transform Tottenham fans’ perception of Daniel Levy
Tottenham fans have a complicated, love/hate relationship with Daniel Levy. We love how his business savvy has propelled the club forward during his tenure. On the other hand, we hate his cheap transfer philosophy that’s repeatedly prohibited the club from reaching new heights. Acquiring Isco from Real Madrid would change everything for Levy’s relationship with the Spurs fan base.
In case you’ve been living under a rock somewhere, reports emanating from Spain claim that Tottenham are considering a move for the talented midfielder. The idea is that Spurs would acquire Isco first on loan, with an option to purchase him permanently.
Let me go ahead and acknowledge that I believe Tottenham’s chances of landing Isco are slim. The point of this story isn’t to espouse blind optimism. Instead, I’m making the point that if Isco were to arrive at White Hart Lane, we’d be forced to reevaluate our opinions on Levy.
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I tend to defend Levy more than I criticize him. He’s certainly made some big mistakes at the club, but overall we’ve progressed during his reign. I do, however, consistently criticize him for not spending big in the transfer market.
I’m not an advocate of spending just to win press conferences, but Levy’s aversion to spending has left the club short on talent on multiple occasions. Just last season, Mauricio Pochettino was forced to march through an entire campaign with only one senior striker on the roster.
This year, critics of Levy are concerned about the lack of depth on the roster. There have been quite a few players heading out of Tottenham lately, and only two incoming signings so far. Reinforcements will be needed to cope with the pressures of Champions League football.
That reality leaves Levy at a true fork in the road. If he fails to back Pochettino, he’ll confirm what many Spurs fans dislike about him. Tottenham have a chance to have a special season, and leaving Pochettino short of depth would be negligent on Levy’s part.
The introduction of Isco rumors introduces the possibility that Levy could shatter the negative impression that many fans have of him. If he brought the Real Madrid star to White Hart Lane, it would certainly be the biggest transfer purchase of his tenure.
Buying Isco wouldn’t be making a purchase of need. Tottenham don’t “have” to purchase a world-class attacking midfielder this summer. This isn’t the club spending big in an effort to replace Gareth Bale. This would be an acquisition designed to take the squad from good to great.
Bringing Isco in would push a very talented Spurs regular to the bench. It could be Erik Lamela, Christian Eriksen or Dele Alli. No matter which midfielder you think it might be, it would still send an above-average Premier League starter to the bench.
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That’s the type of purchase Levy has never made before. He’s spent money to fill holes in the starting XI, but never to take the talent to the next level. Any rational Spurs fan would have to acknowledge the move as a huge philosophical shift by Levy.
If Isco comes to Tottenham, a lot of Spurs fans are going to have to change their thinking about Daniel Levy. While it’s unlikely Levy really cares what the fans think, he should see this as an opportunity to permanently change his Tottenham legacy.