‘I wonder’: Pundit thinks Tottenham could yet sell player after Ryan Mason made ‘long overdue’ decision

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Eric Dier being dropped for Tottenham Hotspur was long overdue, and there may now be a question mark over his future in North London.

That is according to Tony Cascarino, who was speaking to The Times in the wake of Spurs’ narrow victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Ryan Mason sprung a surprise ahead of the game. Eric Dier was left on the bench for only the fourth time this season in the Premier League.

Cascarino casts doubt over Tottenham future of Eric Dier

The Englishman came on with a couple of minutes remaining. But Cascarino felt that it was significant that Mason decided to leave him out of the starting lineup – even suggesting that there could be a doubt over his future with the club.

“Eric Dier losing his starting spot was long overdue. He has played poorly since the World Cup and while the Tottenham Hotspur defender is versatile, he lacks a standout skill,” he told The Times.

“New head coaches, even interim ones, need to make a statement when taking over a struggling team, so dropping Dier was a natural decision for Ryan Mason.

“Dier has been at Spurs since 2014 and I wonder whether this summer’s head coach appointment will determine his future in north London.”

Spurs need to be ruthless this summer

Dier has been a brilliant servant for Tottenham. But it does appear that he spent too long being the versatile player in Spurs’ squad, moving between centre-back and central midfield.

He has obviously been a centre-back for the large majority of the last few years. But it is probably fair to say that the 29-year-old has never kicked on to the level many expected.

Having said that, every Tottenham manager has looked to rely on Dier. So he obviously offers plenty that the various bosses love in their players.

It would be a big shock if he was allowed to leave this summer. And it is hard to see anyone offering the amount that Daniel Levy would be prepared to consider.

But there is no question that Tottenham do need to be ruthless in plenty of areas this summer. And there may well be a number of fans who would not mind if Dier was one of those moved on.