Spurs eyeing Man City fire sale

The Manchester City summer transfer window fire sale will soon be upon us. The Premier League Champions have a UEFA transfer embargo that only allows them a net £49 million spend this summer and a Champions League wage freeze.

Spurs eyeing Man City fire sale


As a result they are looking to offload players they are unlikely to use, raise some capital and reduce their wage bill enabling them to make further signings. Two homegrown players, Joleon Lescott and Gareth Barry are out of contract so available to sign for another club for free.

Man City are also willing to release Micah Richards, Jack Rodwell and Scott Sinclair while James Milner is believed to want to leave in search of regular first-team football.

Joleon Lescott

Joleon Lescott has been a bit part player at Manchester City having played only 109 games since 2009. At 31 he would need to take a drop in wages if he were to come to Tottenham as centre-back cover.

His wages in 2012 were £90,000 a week (4.68 million a year) and the maximum he could command from us would probably be £60,000 a week (£3.12 million a year). At 31 he is the wrong age and it's doubtful he would be a first choice centre-back, but he would add experience and could provide cover at left-back.

Back in January Daniel Levy tried to sign him on a 6 month loan deal but nothing came of it. With centre-back and left-back problem positions for Spurs he could be a short term solution.


Gareth Barry

Gareth Barry is another homegrown player being released and his wages last year were higher than Lescott's. In 2013 he was on £120,000 a week (£6.24 million a year). This season he has been on loan an Everton who want to offer the 33 year-old a £50,000 a week deal (£2.60 million a year).

Whilst we have been linked with him it is doubtful we need another defensive midfielder with Sandro, Etienne Capoue and Nabil Bentaleb able to fill the role with Mousa Dembele or Paulinho also able to provide cover.


Jack Rodwell

Jack Rodwell is a bit of a forgotten man. He came through the ranks at Everton and then for some reason joined Manchester City for £12 million in August 2012. With all their money did he seriously expect to play? Just 15 games later he is surplus to requirements.

Only 23 years-old he has time on his side and being another homegrown player will be in popular demand. His salary in 2012 was a modest £40,000 a week (£2.08 million a year). With Spurs having a wealth of midfielders it's unlikely he will be of interest.

Micah Richards

Micah Richards is a more realistic target for Tottenham and we are known to have been keeping tabs on the 25 year-old Englishman, an interest Man City are aware of. Richards is not the tallest at 5'11" (1.80m) but has a powerful physique making him better in the air than you might expect.

He has played at centre-back and right full-back, a versatility that appeals to Spurs and fits recent recruitment policy. He would be an excellent replacement for Kyle Naughton who indicated before Kyle Walker's injury that he may have to leave to find first team football. Signing Richards would allow Spurs to rest and rotate Walker who has to play more games than most other outfield players usually.

He has had his injury problems over the last couple of years but is young enough to regain full fitness and put that bad spell behind him. He has the pace required for the advanced modern day full-back, an asset when playing a high line defence.

His wages last summer were believed to be £65,000 a week (£3.38 million a year) and he has refused to sign a new contract. As a dual purpose player he would be a useful addition to the Spurs squad.

In March it was reported that Tottenham were preparing a £15 million bid for him when the transfer window opens on June 9th and Liverpool are also known to be interested in signing him as well.

That figure sounds rather high for a player who has had injury problems and hardly featured for 2 years, i'd expect a bid of half that amount would be more realistic.