Tottenham tough on transfer but Levy may need to backtrack, talks already started, €30m demand

 

On May 19th, L’Equipe reported Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has such a poor relationship with Moussa Sissoko that it ‘borders on nothingness’.

Unsurprisingly, they also said that a summer transfer is ‘almost inevitable’ and that Pochettino hadn’t been keen on the midfielder from the start.

That came shortly after the player himself made a transfer sound very possible by telling France’s SFR: “There’s the game against Hull next, the France squad, and then I’ll have time to think, to ask myself the right questions and we’ll see then. We’ll have to see what’s best for me and try to make a choice. Next year is a World Cup year.”

On May 21st, Le Journal du Dimanche ran a story about Marseille interest. The club’s new investment has led to their ‘Champions Project’ and Sissoko is the type of player they’re targeting.

The club’s sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta was said to have already spoken to Sissoko in April, kicking off outline talks, and the Tottenham player was open to the idea.

In the wake of all of this, Tottenham seem to be setting out their usual tough stance.

L’Equipe report, as part of their Tuesday transfer special, that Tottenham ‘require €30m’ for Sissoko, which would be a ‘substantial’ part of Marseille’s transfer budget.

There’s every chance €30m proves too substantial for Marseille to justify for the midfielder who turns 28 in August. Daniel Levy won’t want to, but the best idea for Spurs may be a price drop, and a relatively quick one.