Former Tottenham winger Jermaine Jenas has explained why Kyle Walker is unsettled at White Hart Lane and his comments would make us think twice about Kyle’s situation at the club. Walker has been linked with a move away from Tottenham and Manchester City seem to be keen on the £35million rated fullback.
Walker is currently on £70,000-a-week wages at Tottenham and The Evening Standard suggested that the Englishman was aware that he could double his wages by moving elsewhere. If the report is believed to be true, then Jenas’ comments make total sense.
Jenas said while speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live,
“You’re dealing with players now that I personally believe deserve to paid probably 100% more than they’re actually being paid. It’s about the glory, it’s about the love of the game and you want to get over that line but at some point, as a player it’s also about self-worth.”
“If I’m Kyle Walker l’m sat there on £40,000 to £50,000 a week and Nathaniel Clyne’s sat across me in the England changing room on £100,000-a-week I’m saying, ‘well is that how my club values me then? Are you telling me I’m the second-best right-back in England, because I’m not.’ As a player that does start to become annoying.”
Walker is easily the best English right-back and there’s no denying that. His form has been poor in recent weeks but that could only be because he is unsettled at the moment. He remains the quality player that he is and it is important that Tottenham hold on to such a talented defender.
Jenas’ explanation particularly makes us think because Daniel Levy recently spoke about not changing the club’s wage structure despite the impressive performance from the lads this season.
Levy recently insisted that the players were happy when they signed those contracts and hence he expects them to honour it. He also said that no player would be sold for non-footballing reasons and the comments were strong considering the situation at the club.
It is probably now clear as to why Walker is unsettled at Tottenham. After the kind of effort that the players have put in, it is natural for them to expect a pay rise and when they don’t get it, they would be upset. It isn’t like they want to hold the club for a ransom, but as Jenas has pointed out, if the players at other clubs earn more than what the Spurs are earning, then it is a problem to be dealt with.
https://youtu.be/3euskl5OEtM
