Following suggestions that Eric Dier was keen to force through a move to Manchester United this summer, social media opinion was predictably split on the matter. Spurs fans were either fiercely against the notion that such a key player could be sold to Premier League rivals; or, they simply felt that a reported fee of £50m was too good to refuse.
“England midfielder Eric Dier” (CC BY 2.0) by Ben Sutherland
Depending on your point of view, Dier was either the most versatile player at Tottenham or the third best defensive midfielder in the squad and, therefore, surplus to requirements. Some even suggested that the former Sporting Lisbon man was the heartbeat of the team and while that may be unfair on Christian Eriksen, Dier is clearly held in high regard by many Spurs fans.
While Tottenham remain quiet in terms of purchases, this situation will continue to grab the headlines, so would the club be right to flatly refuse any offer and can they keep the player at the club if his heart is really set on a move?
Title Chances
Tottenham finished third in 2015/16 and second the following season but can they go one better again and claim their first top-flight title in 57 years? Spurs are priced at 8/1 with Ladbrokes to take the Premier League trophy next season and that’s some way behind favourites Manchester City so it may be preferable to use free bet offers wherever possible.
However, there is a view that Tottenham can claim the crown in the coming seasons with two factors playing their part. Firstly, they may have to wait until their new stadium is ready as their temporary Wembley home hasn’t been a happy one and secondly, the club simply has to keep the current squad together.
Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli are all key components who will be tough to replace, but can the same be said about Eric Dier? The argument promoting his versatility is certainly a valid one. The England international has settled into that midfield role but can also play at centre-half and right-back and the ability to cover would be vital if Kyle Walker and Kevin Wimmer are allowed to leave the club this summer.
The suggestion that Dier is the third best defensive midfielder at Spurs doesn’t necessarily hold up when you consider that he played 36 out of a possible 38 league games last season. The facts all point to a key player for Spurs moving forward but if anything is certain, this story isn’t going to disappear just yet.
