wicked.football

Tottenham have set an asking price of €25m for in-demand defender Eric Dier, according to reports.

Dier has been at the heart of the Tottenham defence this season, making 37 appearances in all competitions. The Spurs backline has come under scrutiny and was one of the areas Jose Mourinho wanted to revamp before his departure. But the manager seemingly remains fond of him, as he has been linked with taking Dier to his new club, Roma.

Just like when he was at Spurs, Mourinho will need to strengthen his defence when he disembarks in Rome. The side he is inheriting has the worst defensive record of all the top-half sides in Serie A at present.

Tottenham could be braced for a bid for Dier, whom Mourinho has outlined as someone he could take to Italy.

His hopes of doing so recently took a hit when it was claimed that Tottenham would reject Roma’s advances. However, their stance might not be set in stone.

According to ForzaRoma.info, Mourinho will not take no for an answer and is still trying to sign Dier. He appreciates his characteristics and wants to continue their association.

The report adds that Dier is valued at around €25m by Tottenham. That fee is not out of reach for Roma but they may have difficulties negotiating with Mourinho’s former employers.

But the Italian club are ready to make their move regardless. His salary of €4.5m per season would also place him among their highest earners, but again, it is not impossible for them to fund.

Dier was reportedly unsure about some of Mourinho’s comments about him earlier this season. But that may have been a misunderstanding, as it seems the Portuguese coach still rates the former Sporting CP youngster highly.

Whether Tottenham soften their stance remains to be seen but it appears Mourinho is intent on trying to reunite with the 27-year-old.

Spurs target reveals demands

One sign that Tottenham may be preparing for a future without Dier is their interest in another centre-back, Jerome Boateng.

Of course, it is an area they wanted to strengthen anyway. But it may have an affect on their plans for Dier as well.

Bayern Munich confirmed that 32-year-old defender Boateng was leaving last month after 10 years and over 200 appearances for the Bundesliga champions.

 Sky Deutschland transfer expert Max Bielefeld claimed Boateng is expected to sign for Spurs, having ruled Borussia Dortmund out the equation. 

Bild are convinced Boateng is “top of the wish list” at Spurs. A move to the MLS is also “conceivable”.

The report also claims Boateng, who earns a reported £210,000-a-week in Bavaria, is willing 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.

READ MORE: Tottenham cross one name off manager shortlist as two top targets emerge

The post Mourinho relentless as Tottenham forced into setting price tag for defender appeared first on TEAMtalk.