Tottenham must be smart with Dele’s new deal
Dele Alli is clearly one of Tottenham’s most talented young players. It’s easy to see why Spurs are keen to tie him down with a new contract. However, Daniel Levy and company need to be very careful with the structure of the starlet’s new deal.
It would be easy for the club to throw higher wages at the precocious youngster and be done with it. That would likely be enough to get Dele to sign on the dotted line. He’s reportedly looking for a massive increase on his current wage packet of £50,000 per week.
Tottenham’s financial realities mean they cannot match what Dele might earn elsewhere. One of the world’s richest clubs like Real Madrid or Barcelona could easily quintuple what Spurs are currently paying the talented youngster. Constructing a new stadium might change that circumstance eventually, but not in time to drastically change Dele’s situation.
As a result, Levy and manager Mauricio Pochettino need to be very clever when dealing with Dele and his representatives. There are two things they must make sure they accomplish with his new contract.
The first thing they must do is keep his compensation within hailing distance of the club’s wage structure. Currently, Harry Kane is the club’s highest earner with an estimated salary of £100,000 per week. It’s hard to imagine Dele accepting anything less than that figure. In fact, it’s very likely he’ll push to become the club’s top earner.
More from Tottenham Hotspur
- Bayern Munich reach agreement for Harry Kane
- Antonio Conte goes scorched earth on Tottenham
- Clement Lenglet set to join Tottenham on loan
- Tottenham set to sign Brazilian Richarlison
- Tottenham Hotspur hold off Arsenal for Champions League spot
Tottenham must be prepared for that reality. Arbitrarily telling Dele he can’t eclipse Kane’s wages can be negotiating tool, but not a hard and fast rule. Levy must be prepared to stretch the club’s wage limitations if he wants to tie Dele down for the long haul.
That does not, however, mean that Levy should hand the Englishman a blank check. He can’t be allowed to shatter the club’s wage structure. Signing him to a new deal at £125,000 per week would be acceptable. Inking him to a contract of £200,000 per week might ruin the club’s negotiating power with everyone else on the squad. Considering Levy’s frugality, don’t expect this objective to be much of an issue.
The much more important, and more difficult objective, would be for Tottenham to insert a massive release clause in Dele’s new deal. This might seem to run contrary to the idea of keeping him for the long haul. After all, a release clause would set the market for would be suitors.
Remember that setting that price can work in two directions though. Spurs should push to include a cost prohibitive clause in Dele’s new deal. The club have a lot of leverage given the length of Dele’s current deal. They should use that leverage to convince him to accept a release clause somewhere north of £300 million.
Eventually, that might become a sum another club are willing to pay. However, Tottenham would always part with him for that kind of premium. It doesn’t functionally change the club’s bargaining stance.
It does, however, prevent Dele from growing disgruntled and credibly trying to force a move through at a lower figure. The presence of a release clause in the deal would give the club an easy response to him or any club interested in his services. Either the release clause can be met or Dele can continue on at Tottenham.
Next: Tottenham player ratings v Bournemouth: Eriksen spares Spurs
No matter how you slice it, negotiations between Dele and Tottenham are going to be expensive and complicated. Spurs need to make sure they triumph though. If they don’t, Dele won’t spend the prime of his career at Tottenham.