Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Eric Dier is reportedly the subject of transfer interest from Manchester United – but should Spurs consider selling him this summer?
TalkSPORT cite The Times in writing that Old Trafford boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer would prefer to sign West Ham United’s Declan Rice but sees Dier as an alternative should he not be able to get the deal done.
The 25-year-old had an injury-affected 2018/19 season, making just 18 Premier League starts.
Over the years he has proven to be a versatile option for manager Mauricio Pochettino, playing either in the centre of midfield, a defensive midfield role or even at centre-back when required.
Whilst he is not adept at creating or scoring goals, the Englishman is excellent at reading the game and protecting his back four, allowing the likes of Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli licence to push forward and be creative.
His presence also brings a calming influence to the side, with his 150+ top-flight outings allowing him to guide young players such as Harry Winks and Oliver Skipp through games when needed.
Despite not being at his best this campaign, Dier is still regularly picked for England by manager Gareth Southgate and would be a loss to Spurs given his considerable Champions League experience.
Not many Spurs fans would pick him out as a key player to the side, but I would hazard a guess that his work covering the ground and mopping up is well respected by his team-mates in north London.
Selling him to United, who will want to be up challenging for the top four spaces next season, could prove a costly error should he get regular game time and re-find his form in Manchester.
Of course, should the Red Devils make a substantial offer for his services then Daniel Levy should certainly consider it, but I would like to see Spurs keep faith in the ex-Sporting Lisbon man.
