Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has suggested talks between the club and players over wage cuts will hinge on where they finish in the table.
In April, the players’ union (PFA) rejected the Premier League’s proposal for all players to take a 30 per cent cut, but a number of clubs have reached unilateral agreements with their squads to help ease the devastating impact of the coronavirus crisis.
The Portuguese, who earns a reported £15million a year, suggested talks over cuts would be dependent on whether Spurs qualify for Europe and hinted that he would be willing to match any agreement between players and the club. Spurs have fallen nine points below fourth-placed Chelsea, but are just four shy of Manchester United ahead of tonight’s derby against West Ham.
“In this moment, I’m not thinking about [wage cuts] at all,” Mourinho told Standard Sport. “We have one month to think about playing football almost every three days and to try to get the best position for us. If we get a Champions League position, we’re helping the club. If we get a Europa League position, we’re helping less, but we’re still helping the club. If we don’t get a Europa League position, we’re not helping the club in relation to that extra money.
“The focus is on getting results, performing and finishing the season the best we can. After that, what my players and my club decide, I will be always with them.”
Mourinho added: “I am with my club and I am with my players. The decision of my club and my players are my decisions. Always. So, with me, zero problems.”
Ahead of the visit of West Ham, Mourinho offered a robust defence of Harry Kane’s performance against United on Friday and said he has no concerns about the England captain’s future.
Kane, who completed 90 minutes in the 1-1 draw in his first appearance since New Year’s Day, has said he will not stay at Spurs for the “sake of it” if the team are no longer progressing.
“We want the same thing,” said Mourinho. “He doesn’t want anything different than Mr Levy wants, Mr [Joe] Lewis (whose ENIC Group owns Tottenham) wants and I want.
“The club doesn’t need to do anything. The club just need to say, ‘Harry Kane is ours, Harry Kane has a long-term contract, Harry Kane is not for sale, Harry Kane is Tottenham, Harry Kane is staying’.
“Tell me from these about 10 matches in the Premier League, which striker was phenomenal, or was the normal level of his potential? Honestly, I don’t remember [one]. I know that if tonight he scores two goals, the talk stops.
“I don’t see any problems. For me it’s not Harry Kane, it’s Hero Kane, because a guy that had a big surgery, has a lockdown that stopped the perfect rehabilitation, then come to normal training only for a couple of weeks.”
Mourinho will have Lucas Moura available after he missed the United game with concussion, while Dele Alli returns to the squad following a one-match ban.
