Liverpool are now in pole position to sign Georginio Wijnaldum after Tottenham ended their interest in the Newcastle midfielder, according to the Mirror.
Spurs were expected to move for the Dutchman but have been completely put off by the Magpies’ demands of £25million.
Despite the fact that he cost just £14.5million a year ago, Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp seems happy to pay the inflated price, and therein lies the difference between the eccentric Reds gaffer and his Tottenham counterpart Mauricio Pochettino.
While all around, Premier League clubs are paying crazy money this summer, Spurs are hanging back.
£100m for Paul Pogba?! There's a lot you could get for that down at Tottenham… #THFC #COYShttps://t.co/35dKNNurz6
— Spurred On (@spurredontv) July 15, 2016
That has not prevented them bringing in top players, as they have already secured the signatures of Victor Wanyama and Vincent Janssen.
However, the Janssen saga proved just why Spurs are so efficiently run, both on and off the pitch. Chairman Daniel Levy runs a notoriously tight ship and Janssen’s former club AZ Alkmaar felt the full force of his wrath as they struggled to get a deal over the line.
Wanyama and Janssen together have cost under £30million, incidentally the fee Liverpool paid Southampton for Sadio Mane.
Liverpool’s rivals will be aware that they are desperate to revamp their squad, but there is a real danger they could be held to ransom.
There is no chance of that happening with Spurs. After Wijnaldum, they will dust themselves down and move onto their next target, which is most likely to be Georges-Kevin N’Koudou from Marseille.
Manchester United, meanwhile, are taking the line that they will do whatever it takes to get back to the top, even if it means smashing the world transfer record to bring in Paul Pogba.
One season in the Champions League is not going to see Tottenham start competing for that league of player, but especially not when Levy’s feet remain firmly on the ground.
Of course, for all Spurs’ prudence, there is undoubtedly one major agenda being repeatedly emphasised in the boardroom. The completion of their new stadium is just two years away, and that is where a great deal of their funds are being funnelled.
And yet, there is a resounding feeling around north London that for Spurs, whatever else is going on at the club, this transfer window is business as usual.
In Levy’s language, that means value for money and developing young players. Spurs have set an example to Europe’s top clubs by rising above the silliness of this transfer window, but they will have to just hope their strategy brings in results next season.
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