Tottenham using Real Madrid star against Everton
Daniel Levy is putting Tottenham in a strong negotiating position
Tottenham fans know that Daniel Levy is one of the toughest negotiators on Earth. That’s precisely why the Spurs chairman is using Real Madrid star Mateo Kovacic to put pressure on Everton and Ross Barkley.
It’s no coincidence that the Everton midfielder isn’t heading out on tour with the Toffees. He clearly doesn’t want to sign a new deal at the club and Tottenham seem to be his preferred destination. The trouble is that Ronald Koeman and company have been demanding a small fortune for the talented midfielder.
Levy has now set out to put Everton under pressure at the negotiating table. The best way for him to drive the price down is to threaten Koeman and company with a competing target. As such, stories have popped up today connecting Spurs with a serious bid for Kovacic.
The Croatian midfielder has fallen to the fringes of Zinedine Zidane’s squad as of late. The French gaffer would like to keep hold of him next season, but Real Madrid are willing to let him go for the right price. It just so happens that Kovacic and Barkley both serve their squads as attacking midfielders.
In a perfect world Levy would be willing to purchase both players this summer. Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine Spurs’ splashing somewhere in the neighborhood of £60 million for the midfield duo. The two stars are certainly worth that sort of investment, but Levy isn’t going to spend that sort of money with a new stadium to pay for.
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As a result, Spurs have created real competition in terms of which midfielder will ultimately arrive in North London. Personally, I’d rather see Kovacic come into the squad. He isn’t a proven Premier League commodity like Barkley, but it’s not as if La Liga isn’t excellent competition. It wouldn’t take Kovacic long to adapt to England’s top flight.
The question now becomes whether or not either Real Madrid or Everton will blink. Of the two, Everton seem more likely to give in. They know Barkley isn’t going to re-sign with the club and he only has one year left on his current deal. The Toffees must sell him this summer or risk losing him for nothing.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, are not under any pressure to sell. If they don’t receive a bid they like, they’ll simply keep Kovacic. He still has the ability to be an impact substitute for Zidane.
Next: Tottenham need to sign Barkley more than ever
The more reports you read about Tottenham chasing Mateo Kovacic the closer Spurs will come to signing Ross Barkley. There’s only space for one of the two at Tottenham and Everton can’t afford to let the Spurs opportunity pass them by.