The ongoing Coronavirus pandemic has taken a massive toll on European football clubs. With major European leagues being indefinitely suspended, the payments coming from broadcasting rights and match day tickets have halted. As a result, clubs across Europe may have to offload some of their star players in the summer to maintain their financial structure.
Tottenham Hotspur are no exceptions, and in this article, we will discuss three players Jose Mourinho might have to offload in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Eric Dier
From a pure sporting perspective, Eric Dier is arguably the only player on this list Mourinho himself would like to offload. Over the past few years, the English international has seen a massive decline, often failing to make himself a regular member of Tottenham’s starting lineup.
It was prevalent even under Mauricio Pochettino, who often preferred Harry Winks or Moussa Sissoko in central midfield and Davinson Sanchez in central defence. And it hasn’t changed under Mourinho either. As a result, Dier has become more of a liability in the current Spurs setup.
According to Spotrac, Dier is given an annual salary of £3 million, which is moderately high for a player who hasn’t been useful to the team over the past couple of years. His departure, therefore, would make sense for the Lilywhites.
Tanguy Ndombele
Tanguy Ndombele was the marquee signing for Tottenham Hotspur last summer as the Frenchman joined the club in a £54 million move from Olympique Lyonnais. However, he has made a minimal impact in the Premier League this season, often struggling with injuries and lack of form.
The 22-year-old has failed to fill in the shoes of Mousa Dembele as a ball-carrier in midfield. Instead, he has looked tentative, failing to cope with the fast-paced nature of English football. Mourinho himself has criticised his performances.
This summer, Spurs would need to make a swift decision as far as the future of Ndombele is concerned. Given the fact that the Frenchman is the joint highest earner in the club, offloading him could give the Lilywhites a substantial financial boost, allowing them to sign other stars.
Harry Kane
Harry Kane is one of the best strikers in world football, and his departure would obviously be devastating for Tottenham Hotspur. But, the club will have very little leverage over him if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.
The English international has already been linked with a move to Manchester United this year, and with the Lilywhites seemingly on the decline, it won’t be surprising to see the striker making the next step in his career.
What makes this situation even more difficult for Tottenham is the Coronavirus pandemic. While the suspension of the league will provide Mourino with ample time to staple his identity at the club, the financial toll could make the club powerless, in case Kane does push for a way out of north London.
