Tottenham should consider all of their options
A great number of Tottenham fans on social media are adamant the club shouldn’t consider selling Eric Dier to Manchester United under any circumstances. While I can sympathize with that emotional reaction, the club shouldn’t be criticized for carefully considering all of their options.
In case you’ve been locked in a dungeon somewhere, you know that United have reportedly offered up to £50 million for the talented Spurs midfielder. It’s obvious to everyone that Jose Mourinho really wants to add Dier to his midfield options this summer.
The typical response from Spurs fans is that Dier should be kept no matter what. Essentially, the argument boils down to trying to break Tottenham’s reputation as a selling club. The idea is that holding on to Dier will show big clubs that Spurs are no longer a feeder system for their starting XIs. Furthermore, those opposed to selling Dier correctly point out that strengthening a Premier League rival is always a poor outcome.
I can’t really argue with either of those two points. Flatly refusing to negotiate with United would send a serious message to other clubs that things have changed at Tottenham. There’s certainly a real value to that sort of statement.
I would also prefer any Tottenham star be shipped out of the country if they’re purchased by a larger club. Selling Gareth Bale to Real Madrid was one thing. If he would have been shipped to Manchester United we all would feel much differently about his time in North London. It would be painful to see Dier play against Tottenham for years to come.
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With all of that being said, the majority of Spurs fans are missing the possible benefits of selling Dier. The obvious potential benefit is a financial windfall for the club. We simply don’t know how much United might ultimately be willing to bid. Even if you don’t think their current bid is high enough, what if Woodward made a £100 million bid? The point is that selling Dier at a certain price becomes a positive decision for Tottenham.
That money could be reinvested in the squad to purchase better players. That’s not a shot against Dier. I think he’s a really good Premier League regular. However, it’s possible United might pay enough for Spurs to purchase a legitimate world-class attacker. Would you really argue against swapping Dier for Monaco sensation Thomas Lemar? Even if you don’t like Lemar, there are a number of players who you probably would prefer to Dier who could be purchased for £100 million.
It’s also possible the funds from a Dier sale could allow Daniel Levy to loosen the club’s wage scale. The club’s rigid contract structure is going to cause more and more problems over the next few years. Dier’s sale could allow the club to keep a myriad of other stars.
Next: Tottenham have a chance to take advantage of Manchester United
For the record, I’m not someone who wants to see Eric Dier head to Manchester United. It would pain me emotionally to see one of Pochettino’s favourites head to a Premier League rival. That doesn’t mean I’m opposed to the club investigating their options though. It’s possible United could make a financial offer that’s simply too good to pass up.