Tottenham Hotspur players backing Danny Rose over pay row
Pressure on Levy for signings and more money
Danny Rose’s criticisms of Tottenham Hotspur’s pay structure and transfer dealings are shared by many of his team-mates, who have privately supported his decision to air his grievances earlier this week.
The England left back is prepared to push for a move to Chelsea this month if the Premier League champions follow up on their initial interest with a firm bid before the transfer window closes on August 31, and would also consider joining Manchester United, although they are not expected to make an offer this month.
Tottenham are adamant that Rose is not for sale despite having sold his team-mate and friend Kyle Walker to Manchester City for £54 million last month, and are deeply unhappy with his decision to go public with his frustrations.
However, many of his senior team-mates are supportive as they are similarly frustrated with the club’s pay structure and the fact that the chairman, Daniel Levy, and the manager, Mauricio Pochettino, have not signed a single player this summer.
These Tottenham players’ frustrations are exacerbated by seeing Watford and West Ham United pay new signings nearly double the amount that they are on. Andre Gray, Watford’s £18.5 million signing from Burnley, will earn £95,000 a week at Vicarage Road, while Marko Arnautovic, who joined West Ham from Stoke City for £25 million, is on £110,000 a week.
If they were to sell, Tottenham would want about £50 million for Rose, similar to the fee that they received for Walker. Rose, 27, signed a new five-year contract worth £65,000 a week in September.
Rose is not yet ready to make a formal transfer request, but is standing by his words in an interview with The Sun.
“I am reaching my peak and probably only have one more big contract left in me,” Rose said. “Time is running out and I do want to win trophies. I don’t want to play football for 15 years and not have one trophy or one medal. That’s not what I’m about. I’m not saying I want out but if something came to me that was concrete, I’d have no qualms about voicing my opinions to anyone at the football club.
“I will say this too — I will play up north. I don’t know exactly when, but I will get back up north and play some football somewhere. I moved away from home [from Leeds to Spurs] at 16. Yes I’ve got team-mates who have moved away from families in South Korea and Argentina, but I have been away for over ten years now and I don’t get to see my mum that often. I am going to make it my priority before I retire to play football up there.
“I know my worth and I will make sure I get what I am worth. If I get to levels I reached last season — and this goes out to everybody — I will make sure I get what I am worth. I don’t know how much longer I might have at this level. I’m not going to be stupid enough not to try and get the most out of it — medals, trophies and salary.
“Anyone who thinks this is primarily for money, that is not the case. But I know what I am worth.”
Rose was also critical of the club’s lack of transfer activity this summer, adding: “I would love to see more signings. I want world-class players to come through the front door to make you fight for your place, not players you have to google and say, ‘Who’s that?’ ”
Tottenham have said that Rose’s criticism is an “internal matter”. The club are expected to fine him up to two weeks’ wages, worth £130,000.
Despite his references to a move north it is understood that Chelsea is his preferred destination at present. Antonio Conte has been seeking to add a left back to his squad all summer and after failing to agree a fee with Juventus for Alex Sandro, the Italian is looking at other options, with Rose firmly in his thoughts.
Some Tottenham team-mates, who are thought to include the defender Toby Alderweireld, yesterday asked Rose to explain the complaints he made. The left back went through each of his points and is said to have told the players that he did not want to leave the club.
Walker doubled his wages to £140,000 a week — higher than any Tottenham player’s salary — when he joined City earlier this summer in a transfer that hardened the belief in the Tottenham dressing room that they are underpaid compared with many of their Premier League rivals.
The fact that smaller clubs such as Watford and West Ham are paying higher wages than Tottenham has also focused their minds. Harry Kane’s basic salary at Tottenham, for example, is £90,000 a week, while his fellow England players Dele Alli, Eric Dier and Rose earn considerably less. Tottenham’s players also share Rose’s concerns about the lack of transfer activity at the club after they finished second in the Premier League, particularly in a summer in which Chelsea, United and City have spent almost £500 million between them on new players, with more to follow.
Pochettino has yet to speak to Rose about his comments, as the player is training away from the first team while he continues his recovery from a knee injury that has kept him out since January, but will address the issue publicly today at a press conference before Tottenham’s opening game of the Premier League season away to Newcastle United on Sunday. The club have had talks about trying to sign João Cancelo, the Valencia and Portugal right back, as a replacement for Walker after missing out on two other targets.
Tottenham hope to tie down Alderweireld to a new deal after the transfer window closes. The Belgium centre back has rejected two offers as he wanted £100,000 a week in wages and a release clause in his new deal.
There was better some good news for the club yesterday, with Kieran Trippier hoping to return from an ankle injury against Chelsea a week on Sunday. The right back will miss the Newcastle game.
