Contract poser for Levy after top Spurs target makes transfer demand
Jerome Boateng has reportedly asked for a three-year contract at Tottenham after holding talks with the London club’s officials.
Bayern Munich confirmed the 32-year-old defender was leaving last month after 10 years and over 200 appearances for the Bundesliga champions. Boateng’s contract is up in June and the Berlin-born star is looking for another club. Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic told Sky Germany: “Jerome’s contract expires in the summer. It will not be extended. He will leave – hopefully with titles.”
The same outlet also confirmed that Spurs have more than a passing interest in Boateng. In fact Sky Deutschland transfer expert Max Bielefeld claimed Boateng is expected to sign for Spurs, having ruled Borussia Dortmund out the equation.
Bild have also backed up those claims, despite no permanent manager being in place at Spurs. Ryan Mason remains in interim charge, but Daniel Levy is searching for a long-term successor to Jose Mourinho.
Bild are convinced Boateng is “top of the wish list” at Spurs, while a move to the MLS is also “conceivable”.
The report also claims Boateng, who earns a reported £210,000 a week in Bavaria is prepared to take a pay cut. However, to offset that he apparently wants a three-year deal.
And that may well be the sticking point for Levy and Spurs. Tottenham already have 32-year-old Toby Alderweireld, although there have been suggestions he could be moved on back to Ajax.
Davinson Sanchez is another centre-back who looks likely to leave. Again Ajax have been linked with the 24-year-old, who was a £40m signing.
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Defensive signings likely
Spurs have been far from secure at the back this season with 41 goals conceded in 35 games.
Interim boss Mason recently switched back to an Eric Dier-Alderweireld axis. But the duo looked all at sea in the weekend defeat at Leeds and it would appear that Levy has seen enough.
A report in Football.London claims that whoever takes over as new Tottenham manager will be given the green light to bolster the defence.
Boateng, Southampton star Jannik Vestergaard and Fulham’s on-loan defender Joachim Andersen are considered cheaper options.
Tottenham’s top target has been Inter Milan’s Milan Skriniar. But that looks less likely, given that Champions League will almost certainly elude them.
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