Mourinho: Spurs don't need a big summer spend

Published on: 01 July 2020

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has said his team "don't need huge investment" this summer and insisted the club can still compete in the market even if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

Spurs travel to Sheffield United on Thursday aiming to close a seven-point gap between them and Manchester United who are in fifth place, the lowest position offering a spot in Europe's premier competition as Manchester City await the verdict on their appeal over a two-year ban.

- FC TV: Stream FC Daily on ESPN+

Tottenham have a game in hand over United but the race for Champions League football remains fiercely competitive with the club's chairman Daniel Levy warning prior to the coronavirus lockdown that spending would be impacted should they miss out.

Sources have told ESPN that Spurs ringfenced £25 million per season when refinancing the debt on their new £1 billion stadium but that figure is set to come under renewed pressure from the financial difficulties arising from the coronavirus.

TOP FOOTBALL NEWS

• Saka signs long-term deal with Arsenal
• Guardiola: City have a point to prove
• Arsenal, Saint-Etienne row over Saliba
• Bayern sign teenager Kouassi from PSG
• Zidane concerned about Hazard's ankle
• Miedema wins Footballer of the Year

However, when asked about the impact an absence of Champions League football could have, Mourinho said a major overhaul is not required.

"That is normal that a team that qualifies or doesn't qualify for Champions League, it makes a difference in terms of the economical situation, that is easy to understand and easy to accept," he said.

"The two good things are that Mr. Levy wants what I want, what the fans want, which is to win football matches and to try to win trophies.

"That is the first good thing and the second good thing is we don't need much. We don't need many players, we don't need huge investment. That is not our profile as a club, with or without COVID, with or without Champions League. It doesn't matter what happens in terms of the table, we will manage to improve our squad, which is what we want."

That view will be reinforced by tying existing players to new contracts including Eric Dier, who has just 12 months left on his agreement.

"My boss Mr. Levy tells me that he wants Eric to sign a new contract," Mourinho added.

"Eric tells me that he is more than happy here, he is more than happy with his situation, especially now where he feels that we have a certain idea for him and the team. And he tells me also very much that he wants to stay.

"I hope they can find an agreement because I am trying to take the team in a certain direction and when I try to develop a player in the team, it is because I am waiting for the player to stay with us."

Dier is waiting to learn his punishment after being charged with misconduct by the Football Association for climbing into the stands to confront a supporter after Tottenham were knocked out of the FA Cup by Norwich in March.

Mourinho cited the case of Arsenal's Matteo Guendouzi escaping any ban for putting his hand around Brighton's Neal Maupay's throat.

Asked when he expected a decision on Dier's case, Mourinho said: "I think they made a decision when Guendouzi grabbed the other guy by his neck. I think the decision was made in that moment."

Guendouzi was never charged by the FA as opposed to Dier, who is expected to be sanctioned in the next fortnight.

Source: espn.co.uk

Comments