Why Tottenham should consider selling Eric Dier to Manchester United for £60 million

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Manchester United haven’t finished this summer as they plan to add further signings to boost their title ambitions. Romelu Lukaku was announced yesterday, but they want to push on quickly with Tottenham’s Eric Dier in their sights.

The Mirror report that Jose Mourinho wants to add a defensive midfielder to his ranks and the Spurs’ man is top of his list of targets. United could be prepared to offer as much as £60 million to secure the England international. If they do submit a bid of that value, Mauricio Pochettino should consider letting the 23-year-old depart.

The project at Tottenham is progressing well and supporters will be concerned that their players are becoming targets for rival clubs. Kyle Walker is wanted by Manchester City and they now face the possibility of losing Dier to United. It doesn’t project a positive image for the club, as they attempt to continue their development under Pochettino.

Big clubs don’t like to sell players to rival clubs, but in this case, it could be the right choice for Spurs.

To start with, the report from the Mirror suggested that the player is keen on a move to Old Trafford. As a coach, Pochettino demands a lot from his players and, over the last two seasons, the squad have bought into those methods. They have all benefited from them and some of the team are now considered leading players in the division.

However, the Argentine coach places great importance in commitment and desire to be at the club. If Dier does want to move to Manchester United, it could potentially have a negative effect on his football, especially if he is denied the opportunity. In turn, this would be damaging to the overall morale of the squad.

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Another problem that Dier poses Tottenham is his versatility. Although it is a good asset to have in a squad, the England international has never made one position his own and Spurs may be better off replacing him with two specialist players. Not only will this increase squad depth, but it means that Pochettino can concentrate on coaching specific roles, rather than split his time trying to get Dier to master two.

During the 2015/16 season, it appeared that the 23-year-old was going to establish himself as a holding midfielder and this is the position that he has performed better in. The problem at Tottenham is there are two better central midfield options available to Pochettino. Last season, Victor Wanyama was a revelation after joining the club and was arguably the signing of the season. Meanwhile, Mousa Dembele continues to thrive in the centre of the park. Despite the quality that Dier possesses, he isn’t as well rounded as the two players mentioned above.

The change to a 3-4-2-1 formation was a masterstroke and the tactical flexibility allowed Spurs to win crucial matches. Dier was central to that as he played on the right side of the three centre-backs, but his time out of the position meant that he never looked as accomplished as the two Belgians that he played alongside. If the former Sporting Lisbon man was sold, Tottenham could bring in a top centre back with the money and that would improve the starting eleven when they play with three at the back.

If Manchester United do make an offer for Dier, the main consideration has to be whether he is replaceable. Despite the love that supporters and staff have for the 23-year-old, they should take the view that he is. The money being talked about is a lot for a player who isn’t always a starter at White Hart Lane and they could source a better replacement. They could also choose to bring in a centre back and a holding midfielder, which would provide the squad with more balance and depth. It is never nice to sell a player to a rival club, but in this case, it could be the right decision for Tottenham.

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