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Tottenham know fans know US fans will subsidize Pulisic move

By Rucker Haringey

COUVA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - OCTOBER 10: Christian Pulisic of the United States mens national team during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Trinidad and Tobago at the Ato Boldon Stadium on October 10, 2017 in Couva, Trinidad And Tobago. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images)
COUVA, TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO - OCTOBER 10: Christian Pulisic of the United States mens national team during the FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between Trinidad and Tobago at the Ato Boldon Stadium on October 10, 2017 in Couva, Trinidad And Tobago. (Photo by Ashley Allen/Getty Images) /
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It isn’t fair to say Tottenham’s interest in Christian Pulisic is all about their interest in American fans, but Spurs understand how valuable US fans are.

Let’s get something straight right from the start. Christian Pulisic has more than enough talent to play for Tottenham. His skills on the pitch merit serious investment no matter his country of origin. However, it must be said, that his popularity in the United States does significantly change the finances of making a move for the American star.

Credible reports from Germany claim Tottenham have tabled a £50 million bid for the Dortmund attacker. If accepted, that would break the club’s transfer record set when purchasing Davinson Sanchez from Ajax last summer. Some fans might think that’s too much money for Pulisic, but Daniel Levy and company understand they can afford to overpay for him.

The club clearly have an interest in becoming a popular team in the United States. Tottenham don’t take summer tours every season in America due to the great weather. Instead, it’s a strategic decision from the club’s higher-ups designed to curry favour among American fans.

The Premier League continues to become more and more popular abroad and the US is one of its most important burgeoning markets. The revenue potential for merchandise sales and TV revenue in America is astounding. Daniel Levy and the rest of the business leaders at Spurs understand this better than any other club in England.

They’ve already seen the impact buying American stars can have on their bottom line. The previous acquisitions of Clint Dempsey and DeAndre Yedlin gave the club a taste of what buying a high-profile US player can do. Making a big investment in Pulisic would pay even more financial dividends for the club.

At the tender age of 19, Pulisic is already arguably the top player on the USMNT roster. He is already the face of soccer in the United States. A high-profile move to an English-speaking league would only cause his popularity to skyrocket. He’s an amazing investment opportunity for Tottenham.

Even if he struggles to find regular playing time, he will still help the club’s business interests in the US. Of course, Mauricio Pochettino has higher hopes than that. He has every reason to believe Pulisic can immediately contribute to his squad’s success on the pitch.

After all, Pulisic is already a key player for Dortmund. He scored four goals and added five assists in 32 Bundesliga appearances last season. 27 of those appearances came as a member of the team’s starting XI. He wasn’t a star for Dortmund last year, but at just 19 years of age, it’s easy to see him developing him into one as soon as next season.

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The bottom line here is that Tottenham can afford to pay more than the market rate for Pulisic due to his popularity in the United States. This isn’t a transaction where Spurs fans should get caught up in the fee. If they can get Pulisic for anything close to a reasonable price, they’ll easily make the finances work. Tottenham don’t want him purely because he’s an American player, but it is a valuable boost for the club’s business interests.

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